Wolf Cry
by SinIncarnate
Summary: When Kouga finds a wolf pup, he takes her in and raises her as part of his pack. She is strong willed and stubborn, and constantly defiant. What happens when she is forced to pick a mate for the sake of the pack? Will feelings bloom, and with who?COMPLETE
1. Chapter 1: A New Life

A/N: Ok! New story! I'm pretty pumped up about this one. So read and let me know what you think!

Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha! Because if I did, it would probably be called Kouga instead!

* * *

They ran through the forest as fast as they could, the bear youkai hot on their heels. Her child clutched her hand has she dragged her along. If only they could reach the territory of one of the packs; they would surely find protection there. She glanced back at her daughter, and seeing her terrified face, she picked up speed. She was determined to make it to one of the territories, not for herself, but for her precious daughter.

Focused on her thoughts, she tripped over a raised root in the ground, and she and her child went sprawling. In an instant, the youkai was upon them. She knew that she would have to fight, and she would do so, even if it cost her life, to protect the only thing that meant anything to her.

She stood slowly, her aura flaring. "Sayomi, run." she told her daughter calmly, as she strode straight toward the oncoming youkai.

Sayomi stared at her mother, unmoving. Her mother began to twist and convulse as she heard the sound of shifting and snapping bones. In mere moments a giant black wolf stood in her mother's place, its fangs bared, ready to do battle with the bear.

Noticing Sayomi had not moved, she growled through her teeth at her, "I said run!" As her last word escaped her mouth, the bear youkai lunged at her.

Sayomi screamed, "Mother!" as the bear grabbed the wolf's foreleg. There was a sound of snapping bone as her mother howled in pain. The wolf tore its leg away from the bear's jaws and limped back a few steps. The bear charged her again, teeth snapping. The wolf managed to dodge in the nick of time, and spun, its jaws locking on the youkai's neck. With every once of strength she had, she tore the bear's neck open. The youkai screamed and swung a massive paw, sending the wolf hurling against the trunk of a large tree, before slumping to the ground, its neck pouring blood. There was the sound of cracking bone as the wolf hit the tree, and she didn't move to get up.

Sayomi ran to her mother's side. She shook the giant wolf, crying, "Mother! Mother!"

There was no response. She threw herself over her mother's body and began to cry, giant sobs shaking her tiny frame. So lost in her misery was she that she didn't notice as the bear youkai struggled to its feet, and set its murderous gaze on her.

xxxxxx

Koga, having just returned from a hunt, sat lounging lazily on a pile of dry grass, picking his teeth with a bone. His men and wolves were doing the same now that they had finished gorging themselves. He thought about Kagome, and how that mutt Inuyasha didn't deserve her. He swore that one day he would make her his woman, and beat that idiot dog to a pulp in the process. He chuckled to himself as the thought of kicking Inuyasha's ass and then whisking Kagome away played out in his mind.

His day dreaming quickly came to an end, however, as Hakkaku and Ginta came running into the den, panting and out of breath.

He raised an eyebrow and looked at the two, waiting for them to speak. After a moment, Ginta had caught his breath enough to speak.

"Kouga! A strange wolf has been spotted on pack lands!" he huffed.

Catching his own breath, Hakkaku continued, "The wolf was also being chased by a large bear youkai!"

'Shit!' Kouga thought to himself. 'It's bad enough to have another pack intruding on my territory, but bringing a dangerous youkai as well!'

Kouga sighed out loud as he stood. "Don't worry, I'll take care of it," he said as he headed for the den's entrance.

"We'll go too!" Hakkaku and Ginta chimed in unison.

Kouga rolled his eyes. "Do what you want, just don't slow me down!" And with that, he sped off towards the disturbance with Hakkaku and Ginta trailing behind.

xxxxxx

Sayomi froze as she heard the trees behind her rustle. 'I-It can't be!' she thought. 'Mother killed it!' She slowly turned, finding red eyes awaiting her. Her blood began to burn as she looked her mother's killer in the eye. She may be young, but her mother had raised her as a warrior. She would fight now, and avenge her mother's death. She stood up, defiant. If she died, she would be reunited with her mother.

Drawing her dagger from beneath her pelt, she stood her ground as the bear charged her. She swiftly dodged the attack, and struck a blow of her own to the bear's face, cutting it just above the eye. The youkai shook its head, trying to rid itself of the blood that now poured into its vision.

Seeing the bear's distraction, she took that opportunity to deliver another blow to the bear's hamstring, slicing it apart. The bear came toppling down with a roar, and she quickly jumped out of the way.

Standing a few feet out of the youkai's reach, she watched for the opportunity to deliver the final blow. As the bear struggled to rise to its feet again, it exposed its chest.

"That's it!" she cried out as she lunged for its heart. The bear, however, saw her attack from the corner of its eye and brought its massive paw up. Seeing this, Sayomi knew that she did not have the time to react. 'I will die with honor,' she thought to herself just before the bear struck her, sending her flying into the trunk of a tree opposite of where her mother lay. Her vision blurred as the pain of the blow shot up her spine. She felt herself slowly slipping away until, finally, she drifted into unconsciousness.

xxxxxx

Kouga picked up the scent of the bear youkai as he got closer 'Man, I really don't want to have to deal with this right now!' he complained to himself. But it was his duty to protect the packs lands from both outsiders and youkai.

With one last burst of speed, he found himself standing before an enormous bear youkai. It had been severely injured, and was just barely clinging to life.

"Feh!" he said at the bear. "You're pathetic! I shall end your miserable life here and now!"

He swiftly tore the head off the youkai and watched its body fall with a thud to the ground. Tossing the head aside, he looked around. His eyes widened as they fell upon the form of a large black wolf. He walked over to examine it, and found that it was dead.

Just then, Hakkaku and Ginta came running into view, stopping before their leader. Kouga pointed at the body of the wolf, and both gasped.

"Kouga, how can that be?" Ginta asked him.

"Yeah," panted Hakkaku. "All of the black wolves of the Northern pack were killed in the attack on Naruku's castle."

Kouga just shrugged. "I don't know. But she is female, so she might have been left behind when the pack went to attack. It's not like female wolf youkai are born everyday. If they had lost her in battle, they would no longer have someone to bear the pack's pups."

Hakkaku and Ginta nodded, knowing full well what Kouga meant. Female wolf youkai were very rare, usually only one being born every hundred years or so. For a pack to lose its only female would mean its demise.

The three of them turned to leave and head back to the cave. However, as Kouga walked farther away from the stench of the bear's blood, another scent reached his nose. He stopped mid-step and lifted his nose to the air, sniffing.

Ginta and Hakkaku stopped as well, and looked at him questioningly.

"What's up boss?" Hakkaku asked Kouga.

Kouga held up a hand for him to be silent. Sniffing the air once more, he started to walk back towards the battle site, following his nose. The scent led him to a tree nearby the dead wolf. As he pushed apart the bushes at the base of the tree, he audibly gasped. Ginta and Hakkaku came running.

They watched Kouga's back as he gently picked up something in his arms. When he turned around to face them, they both gasped as well.

In his arms Kouga held a young female wolf youkai. She wore the black pelts, arm and leg guards of the northern tribe, and although she was obviously not yet full grown, she wore armor as well. Clutched in her small hand was a dagger, and it was drenched in the blood of the bear youkai.

Kouga checked for a pulse, and finding one, he smiled. Turning to Hakkaku and Ginta, he laughed.

"This girl must have some spirit. She tried to take on the bear youkai herself!" he chuckled, cradling the unconscious girl in his arms. Kouga's sidekicks stared in awe at the girl that their leader held. Not only was she a rare female, but she had tried to take on the youkai? What had she been thinking! Both shook their heads in unison, thinking the same thoughts.

Kouga started to walk away, and Ginta called out, "Hey boss! Where are you going?"

Kouga turned back to his comrades and said, "I'm going back to the den, what do you think? I'm not going to just leave her here. And if she is the last of the northern tribe, then she is our sister and we will take her in."

Ginta nodded, and he and Hakkaku followed after Kouga as he sped off towards their den.

xxxxxx

Sayomi groaned and shifted, sending a wave of pain down her spine. She cried out in pain. Hearing her own cry and feeling the pain of the blow from the youkai, she realized that by some miracle she must still be alive. A sound nearby made her stiffen. Keeping her eyes closed, she listened as someone came closer. When they got within a few feet of her, she sprang up, ready to defend herself.

Kouga was startled by her movement, and held up his hands to show he wasn't going to hurt her. He looked her over, taking in her features that he had missed before. For a half-grown pup, she was already quite shapely. Her body was lean and toned, and her ebony hair cascaded over her shoulders, loosely falling to mid-back. But what really caught his attention were her eyes. As she stared at him, he was absorbed by the intensity of her violet gaze. He had never seen such a beautiful face.

She stood shakily as she looked around. Before her stood a man, his hands held up as if to say she was meant no harm. She looked him over carefully, her vision still slightly blurred. After a moment it dawned on her that he was a wolf. Taking in his scent, she confirmed it. 'My own kind...' she thought to herself. She reached out her hand, taking a step towards him. The moment her foot touched the ground, pain shot up her spine again, and she stumbled before falling. The other wolf rushed forward and caught her before she hit the ground. She gazed up at his face, and the last thing that she remembered before falling unconscious again was the sight of his concerned blue eyes.

xxxxxx

Hours later, Sayomi regained consciousness again. This time, she was alone. She opened her eyes slowly and took in her surroundings. She was in a cave, and from the smell of it, it was a wolf's den. She inhaled deeply, basking in the scent of her own kind.

It had been so long since she had been among other wolves. Ever since her pack went on a raid and didn't return, it had been just her and her mother. She had sorely missed the comfort and security of having a pack.

She continued to look around. She lay at the back of the den, though she could still see to the font of the cave, where a waterfall covered the entrance. To her surprise, she was the only one here. She knew from the scents that surrounded her that multiple wolves resided in this den, and was confused.

Slowly she rose, tentatively testing her body, waiting for the pain to return. It didn't. She stood and stretched out her limbs, rubbing her back to make sure it was healed. Once she was satisfied with her body's condition, she walked to the front of the den. Cupping water from the waterfall in her hands, she washed the blood and grime from her face. Wiping the last of the water from her cheek, she started out along the small rock path that lead out of the den and around the waterfall.

She at last came to a cliff that over looked the lake that the waterfall created. Two wolves lay sleeping there. Quietly, she approached them for a better look.

They wore brown pelts, signaling that they were members of the Eastern tribe. They wore armor also, and were obviously warriors. One of them snored loudly and rolled over, startling her. She quickly jumped back several feet, and then mentally laughed at herself for being scared by a sleeping wolf.

'They're probably supposed to be on guard duty,' she thought. 'Maybe I should wake them up.' She quitely walked back over to the sleeping guards and poked one of them. Still asleep he swatted her hand away. She poked him again, this time harder. He woke up with a start, and sat staring at her. After several moments, he hit the other sleeping guard on the head and said, "Ginta, wake your ass up!"

The one called Ginta woke up yelling, "What the hell Hakkaku?"

Hakkaku pointed to her, and Ginta shut up. Both just looked at her, unsure of what to do. She smiled at them in an attempt to break the tension. Shaking themselves out of their stupor, they were both kneeling before her and holding her hands in an instant. She blushed.

"Sister! Please excuse us for our rudeness!" the one called Ginta said.

"Yes, please excuse us sister! You just startled us, we didn't expect you to be awake and about so soon!" the one named Hakkaku continued.

Sayomi smiled at them and nodded. "I'm sorry for startling you both, but where am I?" she asked.

Ginta stood, followed by Hakkaku. "You are in the Eastern packs territory. We rescued you from the bear youkai," he told her, Hakkaku nodding in agreement.

Sayomi recalled her mother's death by the youkai, and her own battle against the creature. Her thoughts were interrupted by Hakkaku.

"Umm, forgive me, but what is your name?" he asked her.

She blushed. "I'm so sorry! My name is Sayomi, it's nice to meet you."

The guards bowed and introduced themselves before Ginta asked, "So, you took on the bear youkai, huh?" Her gazed steeled as she nodded.

"And it was a very stupid thing of her to do," came a voice from behind. She spun around, her violet eyes meeting his blue ones. She recognized him as the man from before. He held a large boar in his fist, and Sayomi heard Hakkaku and Ginta call out, "Hey boss! Brought us dinner have you?"

Kouga nodded at them, and tossed them the boar. "Take it to the den," he told them. They took off and he turned his attention back to her. She looked at him boldly. He stepped forward and introduced himself.

"I am Kouga, leader of the Eastern wolf tribe," he told her.

"I am Sayomi, the last of the Northern wolf tribe. Thank you for sheltering me while I healed." she said to him.

He nodded. "Being that you are still a pup, and you no longer have a pack, you will become part of mine, do you understand?"

She nodded at him, smiling. He turned and signaled for her to follow him back to the den. She happily obeyed.


	2. Chapter 2: Coming of Age

A/N: Thank you to everybody that has review! You are all awesome!

Ok, I had a few questions/concerns, so I'm going to address them:

- It was brought to my attention that the period of time between female wolf births was odd. Here's my reason behind it: Wolf youkai live abnormally long lives, as do all youkai. They also, like their animal counterparts, often give birth to litters, rather than one pup. Due to their lifespan and possible reproduction rate, the female birth ratio is intended to encourage the wolves' survival by not over populating. At least, that's how I see it.

- Sayomi, in the first chapter, is about thirteen years of age, still technically a pup. I've decided to make the wolf youkai age of maturity sixteen, so at thirteen she is child. However, this chapter fast forwards to a few years later, bringing her to adulthood for the rest of the story.

So! I hope that helps explain the workings of my twisted mind, lol. On to the story!

* * *

Sayomi was immediately accepted as the packs little sister. Being the only female in the pack, she was constantly doted on by her brothers, especially Hakkaku and Ginta, who had become close friends with her. They took her everywhere with them, showed her everything they could. Upon finding out that Sayomi was being raised by her mother as a warrior, they took on the responsibility of continuing her training. She became a prominent member of the pack as she grew to be one of its greatest fighters. She was strong-willed, and often times defiant. She had even put Kouga in his place a time or two. But she was also smart and had helped Kouga with decisions regarding the packs welfare multiple times. Kouga looked on, proud of the pack mate that she was becoming, even if she did step out of line at times.

A year passed, and then another, and yet another. Sayomi was growing into a fine woman, a beauty known throughout all the tribes in the land. Her sixteenth birthday was fast approaching; it was only two days away, at which time she would come of age according to the tribe's traditions. This also meant that she would be prompted to start seeing suitors, and to choose a mate.

As she sat on the cliff that over looked the lake at the bottom of the waterfall, the same cliff where she had meet Hakkaku and Ginta all those years ago, she sighed at this thought.

'I don't want to have to choose a mate. I want to be free to do as I please, not be stuck mothering pups.' She winced at the thought of being tied down to a family. 'Not to mention, all of the tribes will be so intent on me taking a mate that they may try to force me to decide. I don't want that, if I take a mate, I want it to be someone that I love.'

She stared down at the moonlit water below her, giving another depressed sigh. Her thoughts were interrupted as Ginta and Hakkaku came sauntering towards her.

"Hey sis!" Ginta called out to her, smiling.

They sat down next to her, one on each side.

"What are you doing out here all alone?" Hakkaku asked her, concern written all over her face.

"I'm just waiting for Kouga to return. He said he'd return in five days, and today's the sixth. I'm worried about him." She told them. It was the truth. Ever since Kouga had rescued her, she had become quite fond of him. She was always by his side, and whenever he left, she waited for him.

Ginta laughed and patted her on the head, knowing just how fond of their leader she was. It was to be expected; he had saved her and brought her into the pack instead of leaving her to fend for herself after all. "Don't worry about the boss, Sayomi! He'll be fine. He probably just got caught up with something. Perhaps he ran into Kagome again."

Hakkaku nodded in agreement, trying to ease her worries and comfort her.

Sayomi grimaced inwardly. She had no problem with Kagome, but lately she had begun to realize how Kouga looked at the miko, and she didn't like it. She tried to tell herself that she was just being selfish, wanting to keep her beloved pack leader to herself, but whenever she thought about the way Kouga looked at Kagome, her chest tightened and she felt like she couldn't breathe.

Ginta and Hakkaku noticed that the sadness in her eyes had deepened when they had mentioned Kagome, and they mentally hit themselves. Even if Sayomi wasn't completely sure of it herself, they knew that her attachment to Kouga was slowly becoming more than just a love of ones alpha.

Ginta stood and offered his hand to Sayomi, saying "Come on sis! We just brought back some rabbits, that's why we came out here to get you in the first place."

She nodded and took his hand, allowing him to help her to her feet. Hakkaku stood as well, and they all headed back to the den to eat.

xxxxxx

'The tribe meeting went on forever!' Kouga thought to himself as he raced back towards the den. "If I don't get back soon they'll probably send out a search party," he muttered to himself.

The meeting, although intended to bring the packs together for communication purposes, had ended up being a discussion about Sayomi choosing a mate. The western and southern leaders were both without mates, and were quite interested in courting Sayomi when she came of age. The subject as to whether Kouga would be taking Sayomi as a mate also came up. Kouga told them that for the happiness of the pack he had considered it, but had not come to a decision yet. The other leaders had acknowledged that, and proposed that each of the pack leaders court her. If she did not choose a mate herself, they would convene again, and one would be chosen for her.

Kouga didn't like the idea of forcing Sayomi to mate, and he knew that with her fiery temper she wouldn't be forced so easily. He hoped that she would choose a mate of her own will.

He pondered the possibility of taking her as his own mate. She was a valuable asset, yes, and it would bind the pack tighter together if they were mated. But she often refused to obey and submit to him. He had let her behavior slide until now because she was technically still a pup until her sixteenth year and his instincts found it acceptable, but once she was of age, his instincts would no longer allow for her to act in such a manner. He's instincts would drive him to dominate her, and to force her to submit.

It pained him that he would have to be harsh with her, and he knew he would. She wouldn't go down without a fight. He had become so fond of her, and she knew how to manipulate him. With a simple bat of those beautiful violet eyes he melted, and she always got her way.

He knew that mating Sayomi would be ideal. Kagome had recently become Inuyasha's mate, and last he heard they were expecting their first child. Ayame, the only other female in the land, had died in a battle to protect her tribe. Whoever took Sayomi as a mate would have an upper hand on the other tribes.

He shook his head, trying to clear his mind. 'No matter what, Sayomi is just a member of my pack, and in the end, everything I do is for their good.' He thought to himself. He was nearing the den now, and he tried to think of the easiest way to break the news to her. He caught her scent, and it told him she was near the lake. With a burst of speed, he jetted to meet her.

xxxxxx

After eating, Sayomi had turned in for the night, leaving Ginta and Hakkaku to their own devices. She slept fitfully, waking often. She woke right before dawn and decided she wasn't going to bother trying to go back to sleep. She stood from her bed and stretched. Other than Kouga, she was the only one to have an actual bed, made of dry grass and straw. It was beside Kouga's, and it gave off his scent, which didn't help when he was away. She looked at his empty bed and wondered where he could be. The tribe meetings didn't usually last this long. She shrugged to herself and started to make her way to the cave entrance, carefully picking her way through her sleeping pack mates who were sprawled out wherever across the den floor.

Reaching the waterfall, she started down, jumping from rock to rock until she reached the ground. She walked around the edge of the lake to her favorite spot where a large boulder rested. She removed her armor and pelts, placing them on the rock, and stood allowing the rising sun to warm her skin before diving into the cool water. She swam a few laps around the lake, working her tired muscles. She swam towards the waterfall and pulled herself onto a boulder that sat beneath it, letting the water cascade over her ivory skin as she sat and washed herself.

The wind changed direction, bring a familiar scent with it. "Kouga!" she murmured to herself. As she turned to look at the lack shore, she saw him come skidding to a halt and fall flat on his ass.

"Kouga!" she cried as she dived back into the water, swimming to lakes edge. She quickly made her way to his side.

Still sitting, he looked up at her, blushing wildly. She stood before him in all her glory, water glistening from the sun on her delicate skin, her body all curves. He quickly slapped a hand over his eyes as he yelled, "Sayomi! Put some damn clothes on!"

She looked at him confused. Kouga had seen her naked hundreds of times. Part of pack bonding was bathing together. 'So why is he acting so shy now?' she asked herself. Suddenly, it clicked in her mind, and she began to blush. 'He hasn't bathed with me since I've matured!' she realized. None of her brother's had said anything or even been uncomfortable bathing with her once she had developed, so she hadn't even realized that it might be a shock for Kouga to see her like this.

She ran and quickly dressed, then returned to Kouga, who still sat with his hand covering his eyes. She tapped him on the shoulder. "Kouga, you can uncover your eyes now."

Kouga slowly brought down his hand, making sure that she was indeed dressed. He quickly stood, still blushing, only to find that she was blushing as well. They stood saying nothing for several moments.

Finally, Kouga cleared his throat and stammered, "Uh, g-go gather up some of the men for a hunt. I-I need to return to the den."

She nodded, and turned to leave.

"And Sayomi…" She stopped and looked at him over her shoulder. He continued, speaking softly. "Sayomi, you and me will need to talk later."

xxxxxx

Sayomi woke the next morning with a sigh. "Today's my birthday," she said to no one in particular. "Hip, hip, hooray for me…" she growled.

She looked over to Kouga's bed, finding it empty once again. The previous day had been full of awkward silences and blushes between the two. So much that Kouga had finally left for a run late that night, and he had yet to return. She had never seen him so flustered, especially about her.

She smiled to herself, blushing. 'Maybe he's so flustered because he liked what he saw…" she thought. Her eyes widened as she realized what she had just thought, and she blushed again.

She stretched and stood up from her bed. She started to make her way across the den, only to be tackled by Ginta and Hakkaku.

"Happy birthday, sis!" they yelled in unison. She punched at them playfully, starting a wrestling match. She was actually doing quite well pinning Ginta on the ground until Hakkaku picked her up and ran out the den, Ginta close behind. He ran straight up to the cliff above the lake, and Sayomi realized what he was going to do.

"Oh no you don't!" she screamed, but too late. Hakkaku threw her off the cliff into the water below, he and Ginta diving in after. She came up sputtering, followed by her pack mates who were laughing hysterically. She glared at them, splashing them with water. They fought back and she began to laugh herself. They spent the day jumping off the cliffs and playing in the water, just enjoying themselves.

They all had just climbed back to top of the cliff to jump off when Kouga returned. Sayomi grinned at Ginta and Hakkaku who understood perfectly, and quickly hid themselves in a nearby bush. She quickly jumped off the cliff into the waiting water. When she had surfaced, she found Kouga standing at the edge of the cliff looking down at her.

"Hey, Kouga!" she said innocently, waving up at him. He rolled his eyes and called down, "Sayomi, come up here, we need to talk."

Sayomi saw Hakkaku and Ginta make their move behind Kouga and grinned.

"Hey," she called up to Kouga.

Annoyed, he called back, "What?"

She saw the two behind Kouga charge him and she yelled, "Why don't you come down here?"

At that moment Ginta and Hakkaku slammed into Kouga, sending him flying off the cliff into the water below. Kouga came up glaring and Sayomi pointed innocently to the two that stood on the cliff, laughing their asses off.

"You two are so dead!" Kouga growled. They just continued to laugh, and jumped off the cliff themselves, cannonball style. Kouga and Sayomi were hit with a tidal wave, and they surfaced, both looking unamused.

Kouga suddenly grinned and swam to Sayomi's side. He pulled her close and whispered, "Let's drown their asses!"

Sayomi, startled by his closeness, especially after their encounter the day before, blushed and nodded.

"Let's go!" he told her. They both dove deep, coming up under the other two to grab their ankles and pull them down. Ginta and Hakkaku went under with yelp. After several moments, all four of them resurfaced, laughing.

The sun began to set as they dragged themselves from the lake and headed back to the cave. Kouga trailed behind, steeling himself for his upcoming task of breaking the tribe's decision to Sayomi. He had a feeling that he wasn't going to come out of this unscathed.


	3. Chapter 3: Struggle and Acceptance

A/N: Another big thank you to everyone who's review. An especially big thanks to those of you who have _continued_ to do so. You all are amazing, and really make me want to keep writting!

Onward to the next chapter!

* * *

Ginta and Hakkaku flintched as a sound of Sayomi's fist connecting with Kouga's jaw rang out through the air. Hakkaku handed Ginta the last leg of boar with a sigh. "Alright, alright, you win the bet." Ginta grinned at his comrade and began to chow down, continuing to watch the fight.

"They what?!" Sayomi screamed. Kouga flinched, expecting another blow. She turned her back to him as tears began to stream down her face.

"Kouga, how could you let them decide that?" she whispered. He could hear the pain in her voice.

"I didn't have a choice, Sayomi, you know that. The decision was made for the good of all the packs." He really hoped she had enough sense not to hit him again. She was grown now, and attacking her alpha really was unacceptable. He rubbed his now sore jaw.

He continued, trying to keep his voice firm. "Sayomi, you will be courted, and if you do not choose a mate, the tribe's _will_ choose a mate for you, do you understand?"

She spun around to face him, her eyes burning with anger. A part of her screamed for her to bend to his will, but she ignored it.

"I will not!" she screamed at him. He struggled to keep himself under control, a battle he was quickly losing as she continued to scream at him.

"I won't do as you say! I will not be forced to mate myself to a man that I do not love, even for the sake of the pack!" she spat at him.

Unable to control himself any longer, he snapped. Growling, he strode forward towards her and raised his hand.

"You wouldn't dare!" she growled at him.

His temper flaring, there was a sudden smack as Kouga's hand meet Sayomi's face.

Sayomi glared at Kouga as she brought her hand up to cover her face. She couldn't believe it. He had never laid a hand on her before.

"Sayomi, you _will_ submit to my wishes. I am your alpha and you will do what I say!" he growled at her. She still stood defiant before him, though he could see the fear behind her eyes. Fighting the urge to strike her again, he did the only thing left.

"Get out," he told her. She looked at him disbelievingly. He glared at her. "Get out I said!" he yelled, the sound shaking the cave walls.

She turned and fled, sobbing. She had just been forced to leave her pack, the most disgraceful punishment possible.

xxxxxx

After Sayomi left, Kouga began to calm down. As he came back to his senses, he realized what he had done. He sat, his head in his hands, as he replayed what had just happened over and over in his head.

His heart ached for Sayomi. He had never meant to do her harm. If she had only submitted to him! But she had not, and he had lost control. On top of that, he had told her to leave. He had done it for her own safety, to protect her from him, but he knew what it had come off as.

Ginta and Hakkaku sat watching their leader struggle with the reality of what he had just done. They felt for him, as they did for Sayomi. Both stood, drawing Kouga's attention.

"Where are you going?" he asked them hoarsely.

"We're going to go find Sayomi, boss." Ginta told him.

"Yeah, she couldn't have gotten far," Hakkaku continued.

Kouga shook his head and stood. "No, you will stay here. I've hurt her; I must be the one to go to her."

His comrades nodded, and Ginta stepped forward.

"Hey, Kouga. I, umm, think that you might want to try a different approach with her." he said.

Kouga waited for an explanation, and Ginta continued, "I think that perhaps if you try a softer approach, she'll respond better. Kouga, she may be a strong warrior, but she's not used to having you but harsh with her. She adores you, boss."

Kouga realized the truth in his comrade's words. Sayomi had always been there for him, and he had often ignored that fact. I knew that in order to get her to listen, he had to show her that he was willing to do his part too. Nodding to his men, he sped off to find her.

xxxxxx

Sayomi ran as fast and as far as she could. She ran until her legs felt like lead and her lungs were on fire, and even then she continued on. Finally, after a couple hours and few hundred miles later, she collapsed in a clearing. She struggled to stop her crying and get her breathing under control. After several moments she began to calm down, and looked up hoping to figure out where she was.

She now sat in a small clearing surrounded by dense, thick trees. The clearing itself was covered in night-blooming lilies, all of which were currently in bloom. Looking up at the full moon above, she slowly began to relax as she breathed in the lily's calming scent. She lay back among the flowers, going over the night's events in her head.

Perhaps she had gone too far. By nature, her instincts told her to submit to her alpha at all times, no matter what. But as a person, she was stubborn. So even when her body began to trembled before Kouga's towering figure, she had continued to stand defiant. She knew that it was not Kouga who had responded to her insubordination, but his yoki. It demanded that she follow that rules of the pack.

She sighed. "But even so, the look in Kouga's eyes as he stood before me scared me. I have never felt such fear in my life," she murmured to herself. 'But it wasn't a fear of dying or punishment,' she told herself. 'It was a fear of losing his affections.'

More than anything she wanted Kouga's approval. She wanted him to be happy when she was around, not angry. She wanted him to keep giving her that kind look that he always reserved for her. She told herself that if she was ever given a chance to rejoin the pack, she would work hard to regain his affections and not to upset him.

Her exhaustion started to overcome her, and her eyelids grew heavy. Drawing in one last breath of the lily scented air, she slipped into sleep.

xxxxxx

Following Sayomi's scent, Kouga chased after her. He ran through fields and weaved through forests, her trail never seeming to end.

'Jeeze,' he thought. 'She must have taken off like an arrow and just kept going!'

He panted as he pushed his body to the limit, trying in earnest to reach her as fast as possible. He had seen the fear in her eyes, the fear of him. His heart lurched as he recalled the look that had tainted those beautiful violet eyes. He never wanted to see that look again, and he would do anything necessary to fix what he had done.

After a couple hours of running, Sayomi's scent grew steadily stronger, signaling her close proximity. He sped up as he dashed through the forest, skidding to a halt at the edge of a clearing full of lilies. Their scent over powered him, and he had to search the air to find Sayomi's scent. Latching onto it, he slowly walked through the clearing towards her.

Kouga found her fast asleep among the flowers. She lay curled up, the moonlight playing across her skin and hair. He smiled to himself in relief having found her. He sat down next to her, careful not to disturb her. Watching her peaceful face, a wave of emotion came over him. He was startled by it. He suddenly had the overwhelming desire to protect her, to keep her safe, to… hold her even. It wasn't until that very moment, watching her dream, that he had even realized the development of his own feelings for Sayomi. He wasn't quite sure how to deal with these recent turn of events.

Sayomi sighed and shifted in her sleep. After she had settled back down, Kouga reached over and brushed away a strand of hair that had fallen across her face. He let his hand linger, tracing a trail across her cheek with his fingertips.

Sayomi felt someone brush her face and woke with a start, coming face to face with Kouga. He watched in agony as the expression on her face shifted from surprise to fear. Before she could bolt he grabbed her hand holding her in place. She looked at him, a mixture of fear and curiosity written across her face. She gently removed his hand from hers, but stayed sitting facing him.

Kouga could think of nothing to say in that moment. He had rehearsed a speech and everything while he had tracked her down. But now, sitting here staring in to her violet orbs, he was speechless. Instead, he moved to close the gap between them, crushing her in his embrace.

She sat frozen for a moment, unsure of what to do. Finally, she relaxed against him and allowed him to hold her. After a few moments, they broke apart.

In an effort to show Kouga her willingness to obey him, she slowly laid her head in his lap, drawing her hair aside to expose the softy, ivory skin of her throat. The ultimate display of submission.

Kouga grimaced as she did so. "Sayomi, I don't want you to compromise who you are for me," he told her. "I don't ever want to see that fiery light of yours die out."

She shifted, turning over to lay on her back, her head still in his lap, so she could look up at him.

As she gazed up at his blue eyes, no words needed to be said. She saw the apology written there, deeper than anything he could have said. She reached up hesitantly to stroke his face. He closed his eyes, cherishing her touch and knew she had forgiven his monstrous actions.

The sun began to rise, and the lilies began to wither, their scent slowly disappearing from the air. Sayomi sighed, wishing the night wouldn't end, but knowing it had to. She looked up at Kouga once more and said simply, "For the sake of the pack's well being, I will do as the tribes' leaders' wish."

Kouga nodded, acknowledging her submission to the tribes' wishes. Taking her into his lap he stood. She drew her arms around his neck, burying her head into his chest as he took off back towards the den.

She fell asleep on the trip home, but Kouga didn't mind. He felt at ease having her so close by and peaceful. When he arrived back at the den, he was met by Ginta and Hakkaku's questioning faces. He signaled to them that now was not the time, and they fell back, leaving their leader alone.

Kouga placed Sayomi on her bed and carefully removed her armor, leaving her pelts in place. She opened an eye and looked around before falling back to sleep, seemingly content to be home.

Kouga watched her for a moment, thinking to himself, 'Well, she better rest up, because her suitors will soon come calling, and I know that's going to be tons of fun.' Even in his head his tone was sarcastic. Thinking about the hell that she would more than likely put her suitors through, he chuckled to himself as he crawled into his own bed. 'That girl is going to give those guys a run for their money!'


	4. Chapter 4: For You

A/N: You guys are all so awesome! I'm loving the reviews! Keep them coming!

On another note, I would like to point something out. Each character that I introduce myself, meaning they were not named or present in the anime/manga, has a name that refers to their personality/looks as I will portray it.

Sayomi's name means "Night beauty" because she is black wolf youkai, and of course, very beautiful.

The leader of the Western tribe's name is Hitoshi, which means "Even-tempered."

The leader of the Southern tribe's name is Isamu, which means "Courageous, Warrior."

Note that there is no Northern tribe leader, because Sayomi's people were wiped out in the battle at Naraku's castle. Also, the personalities of the tribe leaders aren't really shown in this chapter, but they will be portrayed in chapters to come.

Okay, enough of my chatter. On to the story!

* * *

Kouga had spent the next week struggling with himself. He did not want Sayomi to be forced to take a mate she did not want. Ever since the night of their fight, he was determined to never allow anything to taint her happiness again.

He tossed and turned at night, his troubles haunting his dreams. Finally, an idea hit him. Planning out his strategy, he sent his fastest runners to inform the other leaders to inform them that there would be a meeting the next day.

Informing Ginta and Hakkaku of his plan, he set out to the tribe's meeting place, hopeful that his plan would work.

As he ran, he thought to himself, 'This is for you, Sayomi.'

xxxxxx

Sayomi sat crossed legged with Hakkaku and Ginta on either side of her, both of them sulking. Because she was now of age, she was required to have a protector with her at all times to ward off the unwanted advances of the males that did not have the privilege to court her. In this case, she had two. Kouga, knowing how close the three were and knowing that Ginta and Hakkaku were his two most trusted men, had appointed them her guardians before he left.

Sayomi looked at Hakkaku out of the corner of her eye, and then Ginta. She didn't mind having them as her protectors, but they took their job a little too seriously at times. Earlier that day another member of the pack tried to talk to her and they just about beat him to a pulp. If she hadn't stepped in and hit them both on the head, they might have killed them. That's why they sat beside her now, pouting.

Sayomi wondered what Kouga was doing. He had said that he was going to visit the western tribe, but he had taken off before she could ask him why. She had a sneaking suspicion that it had to do with her, though. Wanting to confirm her thoughts, she turned to Ginta.

"Hey Ginta," she said casually.

Noting the unusually casual tone in Sayomi's voice, Ginta eyed her warily. "What's up, sis?"

"What is Kouga up to? Why did he go to the western tribe's den?" she asked him.

Hakkaku perked up, and before Ginta could stop him said, "But he's not going to the western tribe's den. Right now he's meeting with the other tribe leaders."

Ginta slapped his forehead with palm and groaned. Hakkaku, realizing he had just said something he probably shouldn't have, grinned sheepishly and said, "Oops!"

Sayomi eyed the two. "Why is he meeting with the tribe leaders? What's going on?"

Both tried to pretend like they knew nothing, Ginta even began to whistle. Sayomi stood and towered over them, flames in her eyes. "If you don't tell me I'll kick your asses!"

Both gulped as Hakkaku whispered to Ginta, "Is it just me, or has she become more scary since she's come of age?" Ginta whispered back, "It's not just you, she's scaring the crap out of me right now!"

Sayomi stood before them, hand on her hip. "You guys do realize I can hear you, right?"

Ginta and Hakkaku jumped, and then hung their heads.

"Alright, alright, we'll tell you. Kouga didn't want you to know right now, so you didn't hear it from us, okay?" Ginta told her.

Sayomi nodded and sat back down, waiting to hear their explaination.

Hakkaku sighed and spoke. "Kouga went to see the tribe leaders to try to persuade them to allow you to choose your own mate, whether it be a pack member or it's leader."

Ginta continued where Hakkaku had left off. "He felt horrible about what happened the other night, and he wants you to have the freedom to make your own choice when it comes to a mate, not just someone the tribe picked out for you."

Sayomi said nothing as she allowed this new information to sink in. Silent tears slid down her face as she realized what Kouga was doing for her. He was allowing for her to choose a mate she loved, not just a mate for the well being of the pack.

Ginta and Hakkaku watched as tears slipped down Sayomi's face, unsure of what to do. The look in her eyes was distant.

"Uh, sis?" Ginta called out to her, waving his hands in front of her face. Sayomi shook her head, bringing herself out of her reverie. She looked at Ginta and Hakkaku.

"We thought you would be happy to hear about what Kouga was doing for you, Sayomi," Hakkaku said.

Sayomi smiled and jumped on her brothers, pinning them to the ground. She looked down at them, and said, "Of course I'm happy! Unbelievably happy! You guys couldn't possibly know!"

Ginta placed his hand on Sayomi's shoulder. "Sis, don't get overly excited. Kouga didn't want us to tell you because even though he's going to try for your sake, he may not succeed."

Sayomi nodded. "I know, Ginta. But believe me, I will be praying to the kami like no tomorrow that they help him!" Determination shone in her eyes.

The three all laughed, and Hakkaku tackled his sister, starting a wrestling match. Sayomi held her own well enough until Ginta jumped in to help his comrade. Sayomi was quickly pinned to the ground as the two sat smugly on her back.

Laying there on her stomach, chin in her hand, she began to growl. Hearing the sound the smug look on her brothers' faces instantly disappeared.

"You two are so going to pay!" she yelled as she quickly sat up, throwing them off her back. Ginta and Hakkaku scrambled to their feet and jetted out of the den, laughing the whole way.

Sayomi chased after them, yelling, "Get back here you cowards!"

xxxxxx

Kouga arrived to the tribe's meeting place long before everyone else. He walked into the cave and went straight to the back. There he prayed before the shrine that had been erected in the honor of the tribes past leaders. He prayed that they would help him persuade the hearts and minds of the Western and Southern tribe leaders today, for Sayomi's sake. He poured his heart and soul into the prayer, pleading with his ancestors for their aide.

Once he was finished, he returned to the front of the cave to find the other tribe leaders and their men had just arrived. Together they sat.

"Kouga, why have you called us here?" Hitoshi, the leader of the western tribe asked him.

"Yes, we only met a few weeks ago. What is so important to bring us together again?" Isamu, the southern tribe leader was the one to speak this time.

Kouga looked at both men, and braced himself as he addressed them.

"Comrades, I have a proposal regarding the mating of the female, Sayomi."

Hitoshi and Isamu looked at him as if he were retarded.

"Kouga, didn't we already decide what was to be done with her at the last meeting?" Hitoshi asked him, slightly annoyed.

Kouga nodded, and decided to take a different approach. "Yes, we did. However, Sayomi's temper was not taken into account. When I informed her of the combined wishes of the tribes, she refused to adhere. Even my dominance would not persuade her. She told me that if forced to mate to someone she did not want, she would surely take her life, which would surely be bad for the pack's well being."

What Kouga said may have not been true, but the other tribe leaders didn't need to know that. He took a deep breath and continued.

"That is why I have a new proposal for you." He told them, waiting for their reaction.

Both men looked at Kouga, and nodded for him to continue.

"I propose that we allow an open courtship of the female, Sayomi. I think that if we allow her to choose freely, her instincts will direct her to choose a strong male, a pack leader. And if she doesn't choose a leader, she will most surely not pick a weakling. She will, at the very least, choose one of the strongest warriors to be her mate and the father to her pups. In the end, it is beneficial to which ever tribe she chooses a mate from, because she will, either way, become the mother of that tribes next generation, whether the father be the leader or not. I think this solution will encourage her to pick a mate, rather than take her life in rebellion against the tribe's wishes."

Hitoshi and Isamu thought for several moments as Kouga waited and prayed to his ancestors that they had been persuaded by his speech. The two leaders consulted with one another, and finally came to a decision.

Hitoshi turned with a sigh to face Kouga. "We have thought it over, and for the sake of all of the packs' well being, we will consent to this."

"However," interjected Isamu, "We highly recommend that you, Kouga, do your best to persuade Sayomi to choose a pack leader above all else. Also, we shall begin sending suitors to court her at the next full moon."

Kouga nodded, grinning to himself inside. 'I've done it!' he thought.

"Is there anything else, or are we done here?" Hitoshi asked him.

Kouga shook his head. "There is nothing else, brothers. We are finished."

Hitoshi and Isamu both nodded and stood. Signaling to their men, they took their leave of Kouga.

Kouga waited until he was sure that the other tribes were gone. Once he was sure, he took of towards his own den, grinning like crazy.

xxxxxx

Sayomi stood on the cliff over the lake, watching the sunset. She prayed to the kami that Kouga had succeeded in persuading the other leader's to allow her to choose her own mate. Lost in her prayers, she was unaware as Kouga walked up behind her.

Kouga looked at Sayomi's back for a moment, still grinning. Unable to contain himself any longer, he swept her off her feet and into his arms. Sayomi let out an "Oh!" and found herself in Kouga's arms, staring up at his smiling face.

"Oh, Kouga!" she cried out. "Did you managed to convince the other leaders to let me choose my mate freely?"

Kouga's face went blank. "Who told you?" he growled. He had wanted it to be a surprise.

"U-Uh…" she stammered. "I-I can't tell you."

"So it was Ginta and Hakkaku, huh?" he asked her.

'Shit!' she thought. 'I should have seen that one coming!' She mentally apologized to her brothers as she nodded in reply to Kouga's question.

He surprised her by laughing instead of getting angrier. She looked at him, confused.

"Sayomi, you are now free to choose any male to take as your mate. At the next new moon the other tribes shall begin to send suitors. And of course, the males of our tribe will also be allowed to court you. So I suggest you prepare yourself for all the attention you will be soon receiving." He smiled at her as he said this.

Sayomi's eyes widened as she realized what he was telling her. She threw her arms around Kouga's neck, hugging him. "Oh thank you, Kouga!" she said, her words muffled by the side of his neck.

Kouga laughed and set her back down. Her face shone with appreciation for what he had done for her.

Just then the hunting party returned, and started to make a racket, signaling the hunt had been a success.

Kouga playfully tapped Sayomi on the nose and said, "Come on, let's go eat."

Sayomi grinned and took Kouga's hand and started pulling him back towards the den, surprising him. He blushed, but Sayomi, who was walking ahead of him, didn't see it.


	5. Chapter 5: Courtship Begins

A/N: A big, big thanks to everyone who has reviewed and who have continued to review. Again, you guys are all so amazing!

Another lesson in name meanings about Sayomi's suitors:

Iwao means "Stone man."

Yuu means "Superior."

Onward with the story!

* * *

Sayomi spent the last few days before the full moon trying to get her fill of life before she would have to deal with the courting of whoever came to call. She hunted, swam, ran, and played with her brothers and comrades. She spent the nights with Kouga however. She would play games with him or just talk. Even when there was nothing to say, she still sat by his side.

Sitting beside him now, she wondered what had come over her. She had always been fond of Kouga, one was supposed to be fond of their alpha, but ever since their fight and Kouga's persuasion of the tribe leaders, she felt an overwhelming surge of love for him. And it wasn't all innocent love, either.

She looked over at Kouga, who was absent mindedly scratching the ear of one of the wolves, and blushed as a wave of affection for him washed over her. She suddenly wondered whether Kouga would court her as well. She blushed an even deeper shade of red while she thought about this. After a moment she shook her head and brought herself back to reality. 'Kouga won't court me, there's no way he feels that way about me…' she thought to herself. 'And after all of the trouble he went through to persuade the tribe leaders to let me choose my mate so that I could take a mate that I love, he wouldn't court me if he feels nothing for me, specifically because of my wishes.'

She sighed audibly, drawing Kouga's attention. He looked at her sad face, confused. 'Why is she so sad all of a sudden? Did something happen?' he asked himself.

Looking around, he knew that no one had approached her to say anything, so it couldn't be that. 'Perhaps she's sad about something I don't know about…' he pondered this for a moment. The smell of saltwater reached his nose, and he looked at Sayomi. Her head was bowed, and he knew she was crying.

Kouga turned his body to face hers, and took her face in his hands, lifting it up so he could see her face. A single tear rested on her cheek, and he wiped it away. Looking her in the eyes, he searched their violet depths for the source of her pain. Finding nothing, he asked her softly, "Sayomi, what's wrong? Why are you crying?"

Sayomi sniffed and faked a smile. "Nothing's wrong, Kouga. I'm just nervous about meeting my suitors. Tonight's the full moon, that means that they will begin arriving starting tomorrow," she told him.

Kouga saw that her smile did not reach her eyes, and knew that the courting was not what was bothering her. He knew, however, that if she wanted him to know what was ailing her, she would tell him. He decided that it would be best not to pressure her into telling him the truth.

He smiled a reassuringly as he spoke. "Don't worry about the courting. Remember, if you don't like them we'll kick their asses out!" He removed his hands from her face and gave her a playful poke.

A genuine smile played across Sayomi's face as she poked him back. Laughing, he jumped away, out of her reach. She stood casually, and acted as if she was going to head off to bed.

Kouga, who was disappointed that she had ignored his invitation to play, started after her. When he was within a few feet of her, she suddenly turned and tackled him to the floor. She sat straddling him so he couldn't get up. Arms crossed over her chest, she smiled down at him smugly.

He stared up at her in shock. He hadn't expected to be so fast. He grinned, and tensed his body, preparing to throw her off of him. Sensing what he was about to do, she leaned forward and pinned his arms to the floor. Kouga went rigid.

'Oh shit…' Kouga thought to himself. When Sayomi had moved to pin his arms, her body movement had made him painfully aware of their position.

"Kouga?" Sayomi shifted to better see his face, causing him to grimace. He grabbed her by the waist and held her still with a growl.

"Sayomi, don't move," he said in a low voice as he struggled for control. She froze, but still looked at him confused. After a moment, she blushed as she realized why Kouga was acting so strangely. She sat straddling him, her hips against his. Every time she moved… she blushed again.

Meanwhile, Kouga was struggling to get his yoki under control. It demanded that he take her there, she was practically offering herself to him in that position. Kouga tried to reason with his instincts, telling himself they were only in this position because they had been playing. Slowly reason began to dominate instinct, and Kouga began to relax.

Sayomi felt Kouga's tense body begin to relax beneath her, and thought it was safe to move. Slowly and carefully she swung her right let over Kouga. Successfully off of him, she sat next to him, blushing again.

Kouga lay there for a moment before he sat up. Looking at Sayomi, he struggled not to blush. There was an awkward silence between the two, which Sayomi finally broke.

"W-Well," she stammered. "That w-was interesting."

Kouga didn't look at her, trying to hide the fact that his face was bright red. "I need to, uh, go talk to Ginta," he said. "Yeah, that's it. I need to talk to Ginta, so I'll see you later."

Kouga quickly ran out of the den, leaving Sayomi by herself. She stared after him, wondering what he was so flustered about. 'Is he flustered about _me_?' she asked herself. She continued to ponder this possibility as she removed her armor and crawling onto her bed. That night she dreamt blissful dreams of Kouga.

xxxxxx

The following day Sayomi's first suitor arrived at the den.

Kouga, who knew immediately that he was coming once he had step onto the packs lands, sat at the den entrance waiting for him. Sayomi sat beside him, anxious to see who her first suitor would be. They watched together as her suitor climbed the trail leading up to the den, and stopped before them, bowing. Sayomi could tell straight off that he was no pack leader, but a warrior. As he stood back up, she looked him over.

He wasn't particularly handsome, but he wasn't ugly either. He stood tall and proud before them, with an air of seriousness about him. He had light brown hair that was pulled back, and dark eyes. She tried to be friendly and stood to introduce herself.

"I am Sayomi. It's nice to meet you," she said with a smile.

He bowed formally to her and said, "I am Iwao of the western tribe, and I have come to ask your permission to court you, my lady."

His formal attitude annoyed her, but she tried to give him the benefit of the doubt. 'Maybe he'll warm up once he get's to know me.'

She turned and looked to Kouga for his approval. It was part of the tribe's custom that the suitors ask the female's permission, and she in turn to must ask the alpha for his approval. Kouga nodded to her, and she turned back to Iwao and said, "I grant you permission to begin your courtship."

Iwao nodded, and said, "Well then, would you allow me to accompany you on a walk in the around the lake?"

She nodded, and stepped forward to take Iwao's arm, allowing him to lead her out of the den.

Kouga felt a surge of jealousy as he watched Sayomi take her suitor's arm. He suppressed it quickly, and decided to find Ginta and Hakkaku. He really needed to distract himself right now.

xxxxxx

Sayomi and Iwao walked in silence. 'What do I say to him?' she thought to herself. Coming up empty, she decided on trying to make polite conversation.

"The weather sure is nice today, don't you think so?" she asked him softly.

He didn't turn to face her, but still replied, "Yes, it is nice out. The sun is warm."

She tried again. "How is life in the western tribe?"

Again, he did not turn to speak to her. "It is fine," was his short reply.

Becoming irritated, she tried again. "What do you like to do in your spare time?" she asked him, an edge to her voice.

Still not looking at her, he replied, "I like to hunt."

Annoyed by his lack of enthusiasm, she stopped walking. 'Jeeze! Talking to this guy is like trying to talk to a wall! And what's with him not asking me any questions! Isn't he supposed to be trying to win me over?'

He turned to her to see why she had stopped walking. She stood there, frustration in her eyes. Not noticing it, he asked, "What's wrong?"

Teeth clenched, she replied, "Nothing. I think we should go back to the den now." With that, she turned and stomped toward the den, Iwao still oblivious to her anger.

Kouga, who sat discussing the hunt that was to take place later that even with Ginta and Hakkaku, turned just in time to see Sayomi stomp back into the cave, fists clentched at her side. He chuckled to himself as he thought, 'One down.'

Sayomi sat down next to the fire in the center of the den as Iwao entered the cave. He walked over and sat beside Sayomi, still saying nothing. After several moments of silence, Sayomi stood up and walked over to Kouga.

Kouga looked up at Sayomi, who glared down at him.

"Kouga…" she growled and pointed at Iwao, who still sat oblivious next to the fire.

He grinned at her. "I'm on it!" He stood and strode over to where Iwao sat. "Sayomi has decided to end the courtship. You are to leave now," he told Iwao.

Iwao simply nodded and stood. Bowing to Kouga, he quickly left.

Kouga grinned to himself and returned to Sayomi, who was now sitting and chatting with Ginta and Hakkaku.

"He didn't say anything!" she complained to them. "And when he did, he didn't say much! It was like trying to talk to a rock!"

Ginta and Hakkaku started cracking up, and Kouga sat next to Sayomi. She looked at him, and he raised an eyebrow and grinned. "You didn't take much time getting rid of that one, did you?" he laughed.

Sayomi glared at him, and he shut up.

"Kouga, I'm glad that you find my annoyance so funny, but I'm not amused." With that, she stood and strode out of the cave.

xxxxxx

Two days later, her next suitor came to call. Sayomi again sat next to Kouga at the den's entrance, waiting for the next man that wished to court her. They walked him climb the path to the den, and stop in front of them. As soon as he spotted Sayomi, he strode forward and grabbed her hand, pulling her to he feet.

"I am Yuu, of the southern tribe, and I have come to ask your permission to court you," he told her.

She looked him over carefully. He was certainly handsome. The wolves of the southern tribe were red in color, and this was reflected in the color of his hair, which was short and somewhat shaggy. His eyes were a beautiful amber. She could tell that he was a member of high status in his pack by the way he carried himself.

She looked to Kouga, who nodded. Looking back at Yuu, she said, "I am Sayomi, it's nice to meet you. I grant you permission to begin your courtship."

"Good," Yuu replied, somewhat haughtily. He walked over to the fire, and sat. He looked up expectantly at Sayomi, and pointed to the spot beside him. 'Is he ordering me to sit?' she thought, irritated. Swallowing her pride, she went to sit beside him.

Kouga fought to stifle a laugh. 'This guy is just asking for trouble. If he tries to dominate her again, she's going to kick his ass!' Kouga decided that this was worth watching, and remained sitting by the den entrance, this attention focused on the pair.

Sayomi sat beside Yuu, waiting for him to say something. Finally he did. Turning to face her, he took her hands in his and said, "You truly are beautiful, Sayomi."

Sayomi blushed appropriately, and said, "You are too kind, Yuu." He smiled smugly.

Kouga watched the pair, struggling not to walk over and punch Yuu as he took her hands. When she had replied to Yuu's flattery, Kouga watched Yuu smile. 'What?' he thought. 'Does he think that he's won her over already? That man must be seriously stupid.'

Sayomi and Yuu sat in silence once more. In an attempt to break the ice, she tried to strike up a conversation.

"So, Yuu, how do you like our lands? Are they anything like your own?" she asked him with a smile.

Yuu turned and glared at her. "Sayomi, I am a male and therefore your superior. You will not talk unless spoken to, do you understand?" he demanded.

Kouga stiffled a laugh. 'Oh boy, he's done it now!'

Sayomi stood, fists clentched at her sides. Yuu stood as well, and said, "Sayomi? Did you hear what I said?"

She glared at him. "Oh, I heard what you said all right," she spat at him, venom dripping from her words. "And you know what I have to say to that?"

Yuu glared at her. "No, what _do_ you have to say to that?" he asked.

Without another word, Sayomi drew back her fist and let it fly. There was the sound of breaking bone as her fist connected with Yuu's jaw. He staggered back, clutching his face. He glared at her. "You bitch! You broke my jaw!" His words came out jumbled.

Kouga watched, struggling his hardest to keep quite. It was just so damn funny! He didn't like the fact that Yuu had called Sayomi a bitch though. He watched, waiting to see what would happen next. Sayomi turned and started walking back to Kouga, her back to Yuu. Kouga saw Yuu suddenly tense in preparation to attack. In an instant he had crossed the den, grabbed Yuu by the throat, and had him pinned against a wall, feet dangling off the ground.

"You pathetic piece of shit!" Kouga growled. "You were going to attack her! Better yet, attack her while her back was turned! You damn coward, I should kill you right now!" He tightened his grip on Yuu's throat, cutting off his air.

As Yuu started to turn purple, Sayomi placed her hand on Kouga's shoulder. "Kouga, it's alright, just get him out of here. Besides, I don't think the other tribes would be happy if you kill one of my suitors."

Kouga nodded, and with reluctance, released Yuu, who fell to the floor gasping for air. Kouga then picked him up by the hair and strode outside. "This courtship is over," he told Yuu, just before he threw him off of the cliff into the lake below.


	6. Chapter 6: Isamu

A/N: Wow. You guys are just wow. It's because of all of you people that I keep on writing! Yay for you!

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Sayomi was quickly growing tired of the seemingly never ending stream of suitors that wished to have her take them as her mate. She felt no connection to any of them, and was becoming frustrated. She often took her frustration out on Ginta and Hakkaku, and Kouga would have to step in for their protection. Ginta and Hakkaku knew that their sister was not happy with her current situation, and held no ill will towards her for her transgressions, although their hearts ached for her.

Over the next few months, suitors came calling practically every day. And every time they did, Sayomi and Kouga sent them packing, often times with multiple bruises and fractures, courtesy of Sayomi.

The other tribe leaders watched their men come back every time, tails between their legs. Growing tired of Sayomi's refusals, they decided to go court her themselves. Meeting together, Hitoshi and Isamu decided that Isamu would call on her first, and should he fail, Hitoshi would then step up.

Isamu readied himself to leave his den, giving any last minute orders to his men. Once he was sure that everything was taken care of in preparation of his absence, he set off to the Eastern tribe's den. After two days of running, he reached his destination. Stopping by the lake at the foot of the eastern tribes den, he checked his appearance in the reflection. Satisfied with what he saw, he made the climb up to the den.

Sayomi, who was alone with Ginta and Hakkaku in the den, heard the approach of unfamiliar footsteps. She made to stand, but Ginta pushed her back down. Standing, he said, "Sis, stay here, we'll go take a look. We _are_ your guards after all."

Sayomi sighed and nodded. Ginta headed to the caves entrance, Hakkaku following after him. Sayomi watched them intently, and was puzzled when they suddenly bowed, apparently to a figure outside the den that she could not see. She leaned forward, struggling to hear what they were saying.

"I'm sorry, Isamu, but Kouga is out on a hunt. I'm afraid that you cannot call on Sayomi until he returns," Ginta told him.

Sayomi heard the man called Isamu reply, "You know as well as I do that Kouga would not refuse me as a suitor to Sayomi, or he would have a lot of problems with the other tribes. So waiting for him to return to 'grant me his permission' is absurd. You will take me to Sayomi immediately."

She watched as faint tremors ran through Hakkaku and Ginta. They nodded to the man outside, and gestured for him to follow. Not liking the way the man had treated her brothers, she turned her back to them, fully intending to give this _Isamu_ the cold shoulder.

Listening to their approach, she heard Hakkaku say, "Sayomi, please allow me to introduce you to Isamu, the leader of the Southern tribe."

'A leader?' Sayomi thought. 'A leader has come to court me? I thought they had agreed to let me choose… Unless he has come to try to win me fairly. I suppose Kouga would be mad if I were to refuse the courtship of a tribe leader.' With a sigh, she stood and turned to face her suitor.

What awaited her took her by surprise. The man that stood before her was definitely a warrior, and a skilled one at that. His face and arms held proof of his battles, and that he still had his life was proof of his skills. The most noticeable scar ran across his face, starting over his left eyebrow and ending near his right ear. His eyes were hard, and were amber in color like most of his tribesmen. His hair was a rusty red, and it fell to his shoulders, held back in a low pony tail. As she studied him, she began to see beneath the scars that covered his body.

'Beneath all of those scars he is quite handsome,' she thought. Realizing she was staring, she quickly bowed. "I am Sayomi, I am pleased to meet you," she said as she brought herself back up.

"I am Isamu," he said, bowing to her in turn. "I have come to ask your permission to court you." He reached out and took her hand. Bringing it to his lips he placed a light kiss on its back. Sayomi blushed, but didn't pull away. After a moment, Isamu released her hand, and waited for her response.

She wondered if Kouga would be upset with her if she agreed without his permission. After debating it with herself for several moments, she decided that since it was a pack leader, he would get over it.

"I grant you permission to begin your courtship," she told him. He smiled at her, his hard eyes softening. "Well, now that the formalities are over, why don't we play a game?" He looked at Ginta and Hakkaku. "You two should play, too."

Looking back at Sayomi, he asked, "Do you by chance know how to play the game called Stones?"

Sayomi shook her head. "I don't know that one, how do you play?"

"It's really rather simple," he told her sitting. She sat beside him, interested.

"Hey Isamu," Ginta said. "We know how to play, we already have some rocks stashed. I'll go get them." He went to the corner of the den and pulled a medium size sack out from a crevasse in the wall. He returned, and he and Hakkaku sat across from Sayomi and Isamu. Ginta handed the bag to Isamu, saying, "Sis, you're going to love this game! I can't believe I never taught it to you!"

Sayomi laughed and watched as Isamu poured the contents of the bag onto the ground. There were two different colored rocks in the pile: blue and red. She picked a red rock up and examined it.

"Okay, since there are four of us, shall we play in pairs?" The three of them nodded.

"Alright then. Sayomi, the point of this game is to stack the rocks of your color on top of each other, creating a tower. You want to add as many rocks as you can without the tower falling. The first team who's tower falls loses." She nodded to him, understanding.

"Can we be red then?" she asked him with a grin. Isamu laughed. "Of course!"

Sayomi stifled a giggle as she heard Ginta and Hakkaku "Aww…" at having to be the blue team. She set down the first red rock, and watched as Ginta set a blue on down in front of himself. She looked to Isamu, who placed another red stone on top of hers. The teams took turns placing their stones, and soon the piles were half a foot high, and very wobbly.

Sayomi tried her best to steady her hand, and managed to successfully place her stone on top of her and Isamu's pile. They smiled at each other, and watched as Ginta place his stone on top of his and Hakkaku's pile.

"Steady, Ginta, steady," Hakkaku warned him nervously. Ginta carefully placed his stone and the tower wobbled, but steadied itself.

"Yes!" Ginta and Hakkaku cried out in unison. The sound of their voices bounced off their tower, and it collapsed. The pair groaned, and Sayomi cheered. "How about another game, guys?" she asked them.

They nodded agreeably and gathered up their pile.

xxxxxx

The group played their game all day, Sayomi and Isamu winning every time. Finally, Ginta and Hakkaku had enough of losing and decided that they didn't want to play anymore. They left to greet the hunting party, who would surely be returning soon.

Sayomi and Isamu sat facing each other, saying nothing. Sayomi searched her mind for something to say, and noticing the scar on his face again, found her topic.

"So Isamu," she began. "I take it that you are a skilled warrior, and have seen many battles. I am one of my pack's top warriors myself."

Isamu smiled at her and nodded. "I can tell that you are a warrior, simply by the way you carry yourself. That, and the fact that you kept sending my men back with bruises and broken bones." He laughed loudly, and she blushed.

"Umm, yeah, well about that…" she trailed off. Isamu reached out and took her hands, looking her in the eye.

"Don't worry about it. Though, I do hope that you won't see fit to send me away in such a manner." His tone was soft, and she blushed again.

Trying to divert his attention from herself, she pulled her hands away gently and said, "Since you are warrior far beyond my short years, I would like for you to impart upon me any wisdom you may have." She batted her eyes at him, trying to persuade him, although it was not needed.

His eyes lit up at the prospect of discussing such a topic. "Of course!"

"Well then, how about telling me about the battles you have been in? At least tell me about the important ones."

Isamu smiled as he began to speak. He told her all about the great tribe battles he had fought in, and the tactics he had used for each one. Occasionally he would point to a specific scar on his arm or leg and tell her where and how he received it. Sayomi listened intently, absorbed by his stories. There conversation was interrupted about an hour later, though, by the arrival of Kouga, back from the hunt.

As Kouga strode into the den, he did not like that scene that awaited him. Sayomi and Isamu were deep in conversation. She was leaning in towards him, enrapt. Isamu reached out and placed his hand on hers, and she made no move to remove it. Kouga felt his jealousy rising, and he struggled to push it back down.

Clearing his throat loudly, Isamu and Sayomi stopped their conversation and looked up at him. Sayomi hadn't even realized that Kouga had return. She jumped up quickly and ran over to him.

"Hey, Kouga! How was the hunt?" she asked him with a smile.

Kouga fought to keep himself under control. 'She has to see her suitors,' he reminded himself. 'But I don't like to see things going well, either. In any case, she's not to blame.'

Pasting his best fake smile on his face, he said, "We brought down a couple of deer, the men are bring them up now."

Sayomi nodded, and turned to look at Isamu, who hadn't moved from his spot on the den floor. "Isamu, will you stay the night and feast with us?" she asked him.

Kouga felt his heart drop. 'She's never asked a suitor to stay before. Does that mean that she's serious about Isamu? Nah, maybe she's just being polite, he is a leader after all.' He sure hoped that his second thought was correct.

Isamu smiled and nodded. "I would love to stay. Do you object Kouga?"

Kouga shook his head, saying nothing.

Sayomi smiled at both of the men. "It's settled then!"

xxxxxx

Sayomi spent the next week with Isamu, continuing their discussion about battles and tactics. She learned a lot from him, and even spent a few days sparing with him. He praised her skills, telling her that she was one of the best warriors he had ever fought with. They became fast friends, but Sayomi knew that friends were all they were ever going to be. She just didn't feel a romantic connection with Isamu.

She lay on her bed, having just woken up, pondering this. 'I guess I shouldn't lead him on, then. But I don't want to lose his friendship either. Perhaps I should ask Kouga about what to do.'

She sat up and looked over at Kouga's bed. He was still in it, fast asleep. She crawled over to him on all fours, and sat looking down at his sleeping face. The overwhelming feelings of love she felt for him washed over her once again, and she allowed herself to bathe in the feeling. "Kouga…" she whispered, shaking him gently. He slowly opened his eyes and looked up at her, still not quite awake.

Looking into her violet eyes, he slowly registered who it was that sat looking down at him. He shot up, immediately on the alert. He looked at her, concerned. "Sayomi? What's wrong?"

She gave him a small smile. "Nothing's wrong, I just wanted to talk to you," she told him, her voice soft. He relaxed and lay back down, yawning.

He looked up at her for a moment. "Okay, what's up?" he asked her, trying to ignore the fact that she was in his bed as scenes from their incident at the lake and their rough housing blunder played through his head.

She sighed and played with a string on his armor. "Kouga… I don't want to take Isamu for a mate."

Kouga felt his heart jump, and he tried to mask his joy. "Umm, so… Why not? I thought things were going great for you two."

She raised her eyebrow at him. "Yeah, sure, we get along alright, but I don't feel anything for him. What do I do? I don't want to lose his friendship in the process of ending the courtship."

Kouga smiled at her. "Don't worry, Sayomi. I'll talk to him, I'm sure he'll understand. He's a pretty reasonable guy."

"Thank you, Kouga," she said, her voice serious. "That means a lot to me." She leaned over to hug him. Instead of pulling away, she remained laying across his chest.

Kouga, unsure of how to act, did nothing for a moment. Finally he gave in to his own whims and wrapped his arms around her, holding her to him. After awhile, Sayomi drifted off to sleep in his arms. Kouga stroked her hair, thinking to himself. 'I know that my feelings for Sayomi are no longer innocent, and I have held back on courting her myself because I was unsure of her feelings for me.' He looked down at her sleeping form. 'Is she trying to tell me something, though?'

He decided that he would carefully watch her actions, and he would try to decipher her intentions through that. He wasn't going to just jump to conclusions about her feelings for him. For all he knew, she could be just seeking comfort.

He sighed as he wished that she would just give him a clear sign. Looking at her one last time, he let himself drift back to sleep, filling his dreams with her.


	7. Chapter 7: Hitoshi

A/N: Sorry it's been a few days since I posted a chapter guys! I had jury duty this week and I'm working two jobs now... Ugh, it's stressful! But writing always helps me relax, so here's the next chapter!

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Later that day Kouga spoke with Isamu, informing him of Sayomi's decision to end the courtship. Isamu, who had formed an attachment to the woman, was saddened to hear the news, but knew that if it was Sayomi's wish then he would not go against it.

"Kouga, please tell Sayomi that she is always welcome in my lands, and that she should feel free to visit as she pleases," Isamu told Kouga, who nodded.

"And tell her that anytime she wishes to spare with me to seek me out. I'm always up for a good match!" Isamu laughed heartily as he said this. Shaking hands with Kouga, he turned and left.

Sayomi emerged from her hiding place behind a large boulder in the den with a sigh. She walked over to Kouga and said, "Well, that went better than I had expected."

Kouga laughed and nodded in agreement.

The hunting party readied to set out again, and Sayomi decided that it would be fun to go with them this time. Kouga watched her go, thinking about the decision he had made earlier that day. He was overwhelmed by his thoughts, and decided to go for a run to clear his head. He ran the entire night, returning with the morning light.

He settled down next to the fire as he ate some of the left over scraps from the hunt the previous day. He was still deep in thought about his current predicament. The run had done little to clear his mind.

Sayomi, who sensed that Kouga had returned, awoke and stretched. She rolled over on her bed so that she would have a clear view of the den. Seeing Kouga beside the fire, she got up and went to him. As she settled next to him, she said, "It's going to be a nice day, I can feel it, can't you?

Kouga, who seemed to be lost in though, only nodded. She poked him, trying to shake him out of it. He looked at her, his face puzzled.

"Is something wrong, Kouga?" she asked him, wondering if he was okay.

Kouga looked at her for a moment, and sighed. "Sayomi..." he began.

"What's the matter?" she asked him. As she looked at him he could see concern written all over her face.

He opened his mouth, wanting to ask her about the possibility of him courting her, and froze. Closing his mouth he realized that he feared her rejection. He hung his head, ashamed of his cowardice. Sayomi, confused by his behavior, stood looking at him. 'What's up with him? He's been kind of moody lately... Why can't he just talk to me?' Frustrated, she started for the den's entrance. Stopping at the mouth of the cave, she called back to Kouga, "I'm going to take a bath. If you figure out what you want to say, I'll be at the hot springs to the north."

With that, she turned and left, leaving Kouga by himself. Once she was out of sight and hearing range, he allowed his rage at himself to surface. In a fury he punched a cave wall, crushing an inch of stone and creating a fissure in the rock. Standing with his back against the wall, he allowed himself to slip down it, sinking to the floor. Rubbing his now sore knuckles, he cursed himself.

"Why can't I just tell her how I feel?!" he shouted. "I have never feared anything half as much as I fear her rejection! But why?"

He struggled with his inner turmoil, trying to figure out how Sayomi had come to have such a hold over him. As he fought with his mind and heart, a realization slowly began to surface.

'I don't just have feelings for Sayomi,' he realized. 'I'm in _love_ with her...'

His epiphany sank in slowly, and he buried his head in his hands. 'How do I even tell her? I don't even know how she feels about me. I raised her for heaven's sake! I'm probably no more than a brother to her!'

His chest tightened as he thought of the possibility of Sayomi taking someone else as her mate and lover. He couldn't stand it! He struggled with himself about whether he should wait for a sign from Sayomi, or whether he should pursue her regardless. Lost once again in his thoughts, he didn't realize when a large figure walked into the den.

xxxxxx

Hitoshi had been informed by one of Isamu's runners the day before that Isamu had failed in acquiring the hand of Sayomi, and that it was now his turn to pursue her. He had also learned from the runner that Sayomi and Isamu had parted on good terms. 'Well,' he thought as he climbed the hill to eastern tribe's den, 'At least he left with his pride in tact, and no broken bones.' He chuckled to himself at the thought. He had to admit, Sayomi's fiery temperament amused him, and he was eager to meet her. 'A woman with a temperament like that will make a strong leader and mother, if she can just learn a little restraint.'

Hitoshi stopped at the cave entrance, waiting for someone to receive him. No one came, and after a few moments he decided that he would have to do with out a reception. He walked slowly into the cave, looking around and finding only Kouga. He strode over to the eastern tribe leader and stood before him for several moments, looking at him warily. Kouga didn't seemed to even know he was there.

Hitoshi waved a hand in front of Kouga's face. Startled, Kouga jumped up, immediately on the alert. As his mind cleared, he realized it was only Hitoshi.

"Jeeze, Hitoshi!" he said, sitting back down and motioning for Hitoshi to sit. "What the hell are you doing sneaking up on me like that?"

Hitoshi looked at him, concerned. "Kouga, did you eat some bad mushrooms again? You must have, because I didn't even have to sneak. I just walked right up to you, and you didn't even notice."

Kouga grimaced. "I, uh, was thinking about something important."

Hitoshi laughed. "Alright then, Kouga, whatever you say."

Kouga glared at him. "So what do you want anyway, Hitoshi? Don't you have a pack somewhere to lead?"

"They'll be just fine by themselves. I'm actually here to see Sayomi," he said casually.

Kouga flinched, and it didn't go unnoticed by Hitoshi. Clearing his throat, Kouga said, "She's not here."

Hitoshi chuckled. "Kouga, you off all people should know by now that I can wait. I'm always the one that waits."

Kouga nodded solemly. "Well, wait here if you must. She'll be back soon enough."

Hitoshi carefully weighed Kouga's tone. Something was off here, and he knew it had to do with Sayomi. He didn't press Kouga for an answer, though, because he felt that he already knew what was going on in Kouga's head. Once he met Sayomi and could spend time with her, he would be able to confirm his thoughts.

xxxxxx

Sayomi bathed quickly, eager to return. She felt horrible about how she had treated Kouga that morning, he hadn't done anything wrong. Throwing her pelts and armor on, she made a dash to the den. Reaching it in mere minutes, she slowed to a walk as she entered the den, unsure of what she was going to say to Kouga.

'Well, maybe I should start with an apology,' she thought. As she rounded the corner, she saw Kouga and another man sitting together at the back of the den, laughing. They acted as old friends, and Sayomi wondered who the strange man was. He was incredibly handsome. He had rich, chocolate brown hair that fell to his shoulders loosely, and eyes to match. His eyes, though, emitted a warm kindness that made Sayomi just want to seek the comfort of his arms. As she approached them, Kouga stopped laughing. She stood confused before them. 'Did I upset Kouga that bad?'

"Hitoshi, this is Sayomi. Sayomi, this Hitoshi, the leader of the Western tribe," Kouga said some what stiffly.

Sayomi now understood why Kouga had stopped laughing. Hitoshi must have come to court her. She gave a small bow, and Hitoshi stood, repeating the gesture.

Hitoshi took her by the hands and looked her deep in the eyes as he said, "I have come to ask your permission to court you."

Sayomi did the proper thing and looked to Kouga, as did Hitoshi. Kouga nodded his approval, but Hitoshi saw the disdain written in his eyes. He looked back to Sayomi, who said, "I grant you permission to begin your courtship."

Standing there for a moment, Hitoshi gaged the truthfulness of her words. He could tell that she too, was not really happy with his calling. Looking between the two, he realized what the problem was. Although disappointed to find that his thoughts earlier were true, he smiled at them both.

"Kouga, Sayomi," he said firmly. "I am hereby ending my courtship."

Both Sayomi and Kouga looked at Hitoshi as if he was insane.

"But… Why?" Sayomi asked.

Hitoshi said nothing for a moment. Finally, he said, "Sayomi, would you please leave me and Kouga for a moment?"

Sayomi felt her blood boil at being dismissed in such a way, but a warning glare from Kouga told her she was not to act on her impulse. Glaring, she stomped out of the den.

"Hitoshi, are you out of your mind?" Kouga asked him. "You were given the opportunity to court and possibly mate the only female in the lands, and you backed out?"

Hitoshi turned his gaze solely on Kouga. "And weren't you, too, given that opportunity? Why have you yet to take it?" Hitoshi's words were low, almost a whisper. In an instant, Kouga knew why Hitoshi had backed out of his courtship with Sayomi. His long time friend had always had a knack for being able to read a situation perfectly, and his even temperament allowed him to make the best of judgments.

Kouga bowed his head, ashamed that his friend had read him so easily. Hitoshi placed his hand on his friend's shoulder, and Kouga looked up at him.

"Kouga, I am giving you the chance for love. Don't screw it up."

Kouga laughed at Hitoshi's bluntness. "Well, before you showed up I was trying to decide what to do. Just hold your men off for awhile, and give me a chance, okay?"

Hitoshi grinned. "Sure, no problem. But Kouga, if you do screw this up, I'm going to kick your ass."

Kouga smiled back at his friend, and then pointed to the den entrance. Hitoshi chuckled. Nodding, he took his leave. A few moments later, Sayomi walked back into the den, looking bewildered. Marching up to Kouga she pointed her finger at him.

"What the hell was that all about?" she fumed. "What? Was I not good enough for him?" She was yelling now.

Kouga tried to calm her down, to no avail. "Sayomi, it's not like that at all, let me explain."

"No! I know how it is! And you didn't even stick up for me! You just let him be rude to me!" She was growling at him now.

"Sayomi, please..." Kouga begged her. He flinched as Sayomi drew her fist, waiting for the punch. It never came. He looked at her from one eye as she slowly lowered her hand. She was suddenly hauntingly calm.

"I'm not feeling well, I'm going to lie down," she told him in a soft voice. He watched her walk away, bewildered.

'If she's that calm, maybe I should be afraid...'

xxxxxx

Sayomi lay across the pile of dry grass that she called her bed and cried, although careful to keep her crying from Kouga's ears.

"So that was it all along!" she cried softly to herself. "Kouga doesn't care about me, that's why he didn't defend me! I'm nothing special to him..." she sobbed, her heart beating painfully inside her.

Eventually her crying wore her out, and she fell asleep. Kouga, worried about her, came to check on her, and found her passed out. He didn't want to wake her, still unsure of what she was thinking, so he headed to the cave's entrance where the hunting party was assembling. He stood watching his men prepare to set out when he heard Ginta call out to him.

"Hey boss! You look like you need so time to relax. Why don't you go out on the hunt?" Ginta asked him.

Hakkaku picked up where Ginta had left off. "Yeah, boss. We can keep an eye on Sayomi, why don't you go get some air?"

Kouga thought for a moment. It had been quite some time since he had been on the hunt, and it would be nice to get out. With a sigh he nodded his head in agreement, and the pack rejoiced.

'I don't know what's up with Sayomi,' he thought, 'But I definitely need to get out of here. I'll probably be back before she even wakes up.'

The pack set out, and with one last glance at where Sayomi lay, Kouga set out with them.

xxxxxx

Ginta and Hakkaku sat on the cliff above the lake, watching the sun set.

"Yo, Hakkaku, when do you think the boss is going to just tell her how he feels?" Ginta asked his comrade.

Hakkaku just shrugged and threw a rock off the cliff, watching it sink into the clear water below.

"I mean jeeze, Sayomi has been taking suitors for almost half a year now, you would think he would get off his ass and confess his feelings to her," Ginta rambled, angry at his alpha's lack of tact when it came to Sayomi.

Hakkaku nodded his head in agreement. Suddenly, he tensed.

"What's up, Hakkaku?" Ginta asked, glancing around, now on the alert as well.

Hakkaku scanned the area. "I thought I heard something... Maybe I imagined it."

The two were suddenly struck from behind, and they were knocked unconscious. Cold silver eyes stared down at their unconscious forms while their owner chuckled. He quickly made his way to the den and found his prize asleep. Staring down at Sayomi's sleeping form, he smiled. He quickly grabbed her, startling her awake. As he bolted for the door, Sayomi realized that this was not one of her pack members. She fought against an iron grip as she tried to get away, but her efforts were in vain.

She did the only thing she could do.

"KOUGA!" she screamed, the sound of her voice so powerful that it scraped along her throat.

Silver eyes gazed down at her mercilessly. She felt a sudden pressure on her neck, and then she passed out.


	8. Chapter 8: Of Love and Revenge

A/N: I'm so sorry for not updating in like a month! Things have been so crazy lately! I apologize for keeping you guys waiting for the next chapter! A big huge thank you to you all for being so patient with me and encouraging me to continue on! You guys are so awesome!

Takehiko means "Soldier Prince."

Aika means "Love Song."

Enjoy!

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Sayomi, on the edge of consciousness felt herself flying through the air, although she could not bring herself to open her eyes to confirm this. She felt strong arms wrapped around her and realized that someone was carrying her. Her memory came flooding back to her and she realized that the person holding her must be her attacker. She started to struggle, but not being fully alert she could do little damage. She heard her captor growl at her feeble movements, and felt a hand slide around the back of her neck. She felt a pressure there again, and was out in an instant.

xxxxxx

Silver eyes gazed down at Sayomi's unconscious form as her captor ran deep into the forest. He almost regretted kidnapping the poor girl, but then he remembered why he was doing it, and his resolve strengthened.

Sayomi started to come to several times on their journey, and every time he was forced to render her unconscious. He really hated to do this to her, but it was necessary. As he ran along, looking at his captive from time to time, he was surprised at how much Sayomi reminded him of _her_. He winced slightly thinking about _her_, and quickly put it out of his mind.

He ran for two days and two nights, only permitting himself to walk when you came withing sight of Mount Takao. As he approached the mountain he told himself that no matter what, no matter how much the girl reminded him of _her_, he would see this through.

"I will have my revenge," he told himself. "_I will have his blood."_

xxxxxx

As Sayomi regained consciousness she kept her eyes closed, trying to get a feel for her surroundings. From what she could tell, she was laying on hard ground, and the air was still around her. 'I think that perhaps I'm in a cave of some sort,' she thought to herself. She listened intently, trying to discern whether there was anyone else around her. Hearing nothing, she sniffed the air, searching for her attacker's scent. It was there, but very faint. They weren't currently around.

Sayomi opened her arms and tried to sit up, only to find her hands and feet bound with strips of leather. With much twisting, turning, and excruciating effort, she finally managed to get herself into an upright position after several moments. Now plenty pissed off at being dragged here and bound, Sayomi scowled as she took in her surroundings.

As she had thought, she was in a cave of some sort, although it apparently wasn't a cave in the face of a cliff, because there was no entrance that opened to the outside world. The only opening she could find was a fissure in one of the cave walls. From there a faint breeze blew into the cave, providing it with the oxygen that was necessary to her survival. Thinking to herself, she came to the conclusion that the cave must be deep within a mountain or underground somewhere.

Seeing that there was nothing in the cave save herself, she set to trying to gnaw through the leather bindings around her wrists. After what seemed like hours, she finally broke through them, and she sat rubbing her now red wrists for a moment before untying the cords on her ankles.

She had only just removed the bindings from her feet when her attacker returned. Sayomi froze as she watched him enter through the wall fissure and fix his hard gaze on her. Sayomi felt her breath catch in her chest as she looked him up and down.

He stood before her, arms crossed across his chest, pale as the full moon. His appearance and scent told her that he was wolf youkai, but he didn't seem to have the mingled scent of a pack. Puzzled, she continued to study him. His hair was the color of fire and hung jaggedly about his shoulders. He was tall and muscular, yet still lean. But what really caught her eye was the color of his. They were silver in color, and as Sayomi gazed into them from across the cave she felt that she could she the world within them. Even as he glared at her there was still a softness to his eyes, perhaps even a hint of sorrow.

Sayomi shook herself, and allowed her anger to returned. She glared back at her kidnapper and growled at him.

"What the hell do you think you're doing? Do you know who I am? Do you know who my pack leader is? He'll tear you apart for stealing me away!"

Her attacker smiled. "Of course I know who you are, Sayomi. You're the talk of the land, so how could I not know who you are?"

His face twisted in a myriad of emotions as he spoke again. "And of course I know who Kouga is." He growled low.

Sayomi, now frustrated by the lack of information she was getting out of him, practically screamed her next words at him.

"Who the hell are you?!"

He looked her directly in the eye.

"I am Takehiko," he said simply.

Sayomi gasped, and then struggled to quickly compose herself.

He eyed her warily. "I will go get you some food. You _will_ stay here. If you don't I'll just hunt you down and drag you back."

Sayomi glared at him half-heartly, more focused on what he had said his name was. He turned and left, but not before sending her the most serious and deadly face he could muster.

xxxxxx

Sayomi relaxed a little once he had left. She considered running, but thought it unwise since she had no idea where she was or how to get out of the cave. Instead, she sat and reflected on what her captor had just said.

She had heard tales of a wolf named Takehiko from her comrades as they exchanged stories around the fire on cold winter nights.

He had been the heir of the Southern Tribe, but was exiled. The story took place over three hundred years earlier, and told about a wolf prince who had been the most famous warrior throughout the lands. The prince was ruthless in battle, and cold in person. He found pleasure in nothing, save for battle. That was until he met Aika.

Aika had been, before Sayomi, the last female wolf born. Sayomi's own mother had known her, back when each tribe had had it's own female and all the packs had flourished. Aika had been born into the the Western tribe, and was promised to the leader of the Eastern tribe, to which Sayomi now belonged, when she came of age.

One day Takehiko was returning from the extermination of a demon who had crossed into to wolf territory, and as he trotted back to his packs den, he heard a voice singing. Mezmorized by the beauty of the voice, he followed the sound until he found it's source, Aika. He fell in love with her on sight and asked her to mate him when she came of age. Aika, who despite being only fourteen at the time, was just as smitten with Takehiko as he was her, and she agreed although she knew that she promised to another.

The couple met often in the next few years, and their love for each other grew and deepened. Aika was all he wanted in life. She made his world spin, and softened his stone heart. When Aika finally came of age, Takehiko went to the leader of the Western Tribe to declare his intention to mate Aika, and her acceptance of his proposal. The Western leader was outraged by his claim, and told him she was promised to another and that he would under no circumstances take Aika as his mate. Forced to leave with out Aika, he devised a plan.

He discretely sent a messenger to Aika, begging her to meet him in a secret location. There they would become mates, and then the tribes could do nothing about it. She sent her agreeing reply back to him, and shortly after they met and became mates against the tribe leader's wishes.

When the couple returned to Takehiko's tribe in the south, they found all of the tribes' leaders' and forces awaiting them. Upon discovering them mated, the Western leader, in a fit of rage, ordered them to be executed for their treason. Takehiko turned and fled with Aika at his side. For days they struggled to stay hidden from their comrades as they sought to escape the wolf territories. Then one night, as they ran under cover of darkness, their comrades found them. Takehiko fought desperately, but in the end Aika was slain. Takehiko took her broken body and fled once more. The wolves searched the area and found no traces of Takehiko, and after many months finally gave up the search, assuming he was dead.

From time to time afterwards, a few wolves would claim to have seen him, or his ghost, lurking about the lands, and they came to think that he now roamed the woods, unable to depart to the afterlife due to the terrible tragedy that surround his and Aika's deaths. The Western lord, realizing what he had done, had taken his own life not long after they gave up the search, and Hitoshi, his son, had become leader.

The wolves also had a superstition about Aika's death. They believed that because she was murdered for her love of Takehiko, she had cursed the female line in all of the tribes, and that was the reason that within the few years after her death that one of the three remaining females died for unknown reasons, and a hundred years later, after giving birth to Ayame, Ayame's mother died as well.

As Sayomi sat reflecting on this story, she wondered if the tribes' leaders' decision to allow her to chose her own mate had anything to do with this tale. "Well, having seen him myself, if he is who I think he is, then he is definitely not dead, contrary to the story," she said out loud to herself.

xxxxxx

Her captor wasn't gone long, and he soon returned holding two rabbits in his hand. He threw one to her, and sitting down, started to eat his own.

Sayomi put the rabbit aside and looked at him.

"Are you... Takehiko, prince of the Southern tribe? Lover of Aika?" she asked him, somewhat timidly. She watched as he flinched at the sound of Aika's name, and needed no more conformation of who he was.

Sayomi softened her voice. "What do you want with me?" she asked him.

He stood and strode forward, sitting down in front of her, looking her fully in the eye.

"A long time ago the love of my life was taken from me," he said. "Of course, if you know who I am then you already know this."

Sayomi nodded, and Takehiko continued.

"But what you don't know is that the one who took her from me was none other than your precious pack leader, Kouga."

Sayomi's eyes widened. "You're lying! Kouga would never do such a thing!"

Takehiko gave her a sad smile. "He did, Sayomi. He took the love of my life from me under the orders of Aika's tribe leader."

Sayomi wanted to punch Takehiko in the nose, she couldn't believe what she was hearing. "And just what does this all have to do with me, anyway?" she growled.

Takehiko reached over and took Sayomi's hand, and she fought the urge to snatch it back.

"Dear Sayomi," he breathed. "You are now a pawn in my game. Kouga took my love from me, and now I have taken his from him."

Sayomi wanted to scream, but thought better of it.

"Why, Takehiko? Why would you, after having experienced the pain of losing the one you love, wish that pain on anyone?" She tried in vain to keep her voice from betraying her emotions.

Takehiko stood slowly, and looked down at Sayomi.

"If it's any consolation to you, Sayomi, once he finds you I will see to it that he doesn't feel that pain much longer."


	9. Chapter 9: Memories

A/N: Alright! Chapter nine! Thank you again to all of you who are reading and reviewing my story! I love you all!

* * *

Kouga and his pack returned early the following morning. Running ahead of his men, Kouga reached the den before the rest, and immediately knew something was amiss. Sayomi was no where to be found, and her scent was faint, as if she had left the night before as well. There was another scent in the den as well. Sniffing the air he realized it was familiar to him, though he couldn't quite place it.

Kouga searched the cave for Sayomi, and then headed out to the cliff. She often went there to sit and think. When he reached the cliff he didn't find Sayomi. Instead, he Ginta and Hakkaku sprawled across the ground, unconscious. Now he definitely knew that something was wrong.

Kouga shook Ginta and Hakkaku roughly, bringing them around. They sat for a moment groaning and rubbing their necks and heads. They looked around and found Kouga standing in front of them, arms crossed over his chest, waiting for an explanation.

"What the hell happened?" Kouga demanded. "Where the hell is Sayomi? If anything happened to her I'm going to beat you two black and blue!"

Ginta and Hakkaku gulped simultaneously. They tried to think back and remember what had happened.

Finally, after several moments of thought, Ginta spoke up. "We were attacked by some one," he told Kouga as Hakkaku nodded in agreement.

Kouga growled. "Who attacked you?!"

Hakkaku shook his head, trying to remember. "We don't know," he said finally. "All I remember before I was knocked out was seeing a flash of red hair, and the most piercing silver eyes I've ever seen."

An alarm went off in Kouga's head, though he didn't know why.

"Was he a wolf?" Kouga demanded.

Ginta shrugged. "Like Hakkaku said, we don't know. But if he was a wolf he would have to be part of the Southern tribe. They're the only red wolves around."

Suddenly Kouga knew why the alarms were ringing in his head. He had only ever met one wolf with silver eyes, and he most definitely had belonged to the Southern tribe. Kouga grimaced as he recalled his last memory of Takehiko.

_**He ran through the forest as fast as he could. The Western tribe's leader had ordered Takehiko's execution, along with his mate, Aika, and Kouga had to find and warn the; help them get to safety. Takehiko had been his child hood friend, and there was no way he was going to betray him now. **_

_**As he continued to run he could here the troops searching through the forest around him. "I have to hurry," he told himself, frantically searching for any signs of Takehiko and his bride.**_

_**Suddenly an ear-piercing scream rang out through the air, and the sounds of battle soon followed. Kouga practically flew to the battle site. Looking around, he found Takehiko surrounded by soldiers, but holding his own. "He'll be alright," he muttered as he looked urgently for Aika. He saw her a few yards away, trying to hide behind a large tree. Kouga started to go to her.**_

What happened next Kouga had always blamed on himself.

_**As Kouga made his way over to Aika, one of his comrades had spotted him. Following Kouga's gaze, he saw the traitor Aika. Seeing his chance for glory, he raised his spear and threw it. Kouga, hearing the whistle of the spear as it flew through the air, made a mad dash to Aika in an attempt to save her. He was too late.**_

_**The spear pierced through the Aika's heart, and she slumped against the tree. Kouga ran to her side, but saw that there was nothing he could do to save her. He watched helplessly as she struggled to breathe, her life slowly draining from her. She died a few minutes later. **_

_**Kouga had tried to remove the spear from Aika's now still chest. She didn't deserve to be seen this way, she had died in the name of love. As he place his hands on the spear to pull it out, a savage cry rang out through the forest, so loud that the sounds of battle could barely be heard over it.**_

_**"KOUGA!" It was Takehiko. "KOUGA! HOW COULD YOU DO THIS TO ME? HOW COULD YOU BETRAY ME?" Takehiko was howling now, and he threw his enemies off of him, lunging after Kouga. Takehiko swung his sword wildly at Kouga, who dodging just in time. **_

_**"Takehiko! I didn't-" But he was cut off by Takehiko.**_

_**"KOUGA! HOW COULD YOU KILL MY LOVE?!" he cried. The other troops were now advancing on Takehiko, and he swore violently. Leaping back, he picked up Aika's body and ripped the spear from it. Cradling her dead form in his arms, he yelled, "KOUGA! I will avenge her death! One day, I will have your blood!" **_

_**With that, he was gone.**_

Kouga stood eyes closed, rubbing his temples, trying to clear the memory from his mind. Ginta and Hakkaku looked at their leader, bewildered by the mixture of emotion they read on his face.

"Hey boss?" Ginta called.

Kouga opened his eyes and looked at his men.

"You okay, boss?" Hakkaku asked him.

Kouga straightened up, his jaw setting.

"I have to get Sayomi back, and I know who took her," he told them.

Both soldiers jumped up, ready to go.

"We'll go with you, boss!" They chimed.

Kouga glared at them, but then his eyes softened. Placing a hand on each of their shoulders he said, "Not this time, guys. This is something I have to do _alone_."

Hakkaku started to protest, but a nudge from Ginta shut him up.

"Take care of things while I'm gone," Kouga instructed them. Both nodded.

Kouga swiftly turned and went back to the den. He stood there for a moment, sniffing. Finally he found Takehiko's scent. Steeling himself, he took off following it.

xxxxxx

Sayomi sat throwing pebbles at the cave wall, bored out of her mind. She stopped and sighed, looking over at Takehiko.

Since she had been brought here three days ago she had not been allowed to leave, with the exception of going outside to relieve herself, but this was under the close watch of Takehiko. The truth was, even though she was Takehiko's prisoner, he treated her like a queen. He was attentive, always asking if she was hungry, or if she wanted some water. He had even gone out of his way to dig a hole in the cave floor and lined it with rocks to create a bath for her. Everyday he would haul water in and heat it, then pour it for her bath. Sayomi had told him that this was unnecessary, but he ignored her. Although he wouldn't leave her while she bathed, he sat at the other end of the cavern with his back to her, and he never once tried to peek at her.

Once Sayomi got over her anger at being kidnapped, she felt sorrow for Takehiko. He had lost his mate, his one true love. Sayomi was still convinced that Kouga could never have done such a thing, but even so, she still felt for her captor. They talked often, though never about Takehiko's past or her current situation. They talked about the world, about her past. Takehiko had not known that Sayomi had originally been part of the Northern tribe, and one day he left without a word, returning with a parcel, which he handed to her.

She eyed him suspiciously, and then eyed the bag.

"What is it?" she asked him.

"Just open the bag," he said, sounding annoyed.

She decided that it would be better if she didn't start a fight with him, and opened the bag. She gasped at what she saw there.

Inside the bag lay four large black wolf pelts, thick and glossy. She ran her fingers through them, admiring their soft luxuriousness. She glanced up at Takehiko who stood looking down at her, an anxious look on his face.

"Well, do you like them?" he asked.

For a moment Sayomi couldn't speak. Struggling, she found her voice.

"Oh, Takehiko, I love them..." she sighed.

Takehiko grinned widely, satisfied.

Sayomi looked up at him again. "But where did you get these? Ever since the slaughter of my tribe black wolves have been very rare."

Takehiko sat down in front of her, and opened his mouth as if to speak, but quickly shut it again.

"Takehiko? Are you okay?" she asked him.

He gave her a little smile and nodded.

"I got those," he began, "I got those when the black wolves were plentiful."

He stopped for a moment, and then continued.

"I got those for my bride, but she was never to wear them..." he trailed off.

Sayomi saw a single tear slip down Takehiko's face, and, for reasons unknown to her, she reached forward to wipe it from his face. Takehiko froze, and Sayomi, realizing her close contact, froze as well. She withdrew her hand quickly, and murmured her thanks for the gift.

"It is nothing," Takehiko told her. Silently he stood and went out of the cave.

xxxxxx

Kouga ran as fast as his feet would carry him, never stopping, compelled only by his love for Sayomi, which he now admitted openly. All he could think about was her violet eyes in distress, taken some where far away from him. The thought made his blood boil.

He ran for two days before he came to a spot where Takehiko's scent overwhelmed his senses. Obviously the wolf was nearby, but the scent trails where so intermingled here that he could not follow them any longer. He would have to just search for Sayomi. Lost in the land of Takehiko's scent, he wandered about searching for Sayomi for days. A week passed, and he was becoming infuriated at his own lack of ability to track her down.

Finally, he found Takehiko's tracks in the dirt. They were only about a day old. Kouga grinned to himself as he took up the hunt once more.

xxxxxx

Sayomi set to cutting and sewing her new pelts into clothing. The last time she had the luxury of wearing the pelts of her own tribe was when she was a child, before Kouga had rescued her. She finished her work, and sat back to admire it. She had to hand it to herself, she was skilled in making her clothes. She had been left to make her own since she had been brought into the Eastern tribe because she was a girl, and of course, the men had no idea how to make clothes for her body.

Takehiko was gone again. It had been a week since he had given her the pelts, and he had not spoken to her other than to see if she needed anything. She feared that her touch had upset him some how. Sighing, she slipped her new pelts on and went to admire herself in the reflection of the now cold bath water. The black pelts complimented her ivory skin and ebony hair perfectly, making her violet eyes shine all the more. She still couldn't believe that Takehiko had given her the pelts so generously.

She heard the approach of footsteps, which she recognized as Takehiko's. He quietly entered the cave, and glanced at Sayomi before turning away. Suddenly he froze, and slowly turned back around to face her. His eyes looked her up and down, and she blushed. Realizing his own behavior, Takehiko blushed as well and quickly looked down at his feet.

"You, uh, l-look amazing," he stuttered.

Sayomi blushed even more. "Thank you," she said softly.

They stood in an awkward silence for a moment, and then Sayomi decided that she was going to bed. Takehiko bid her a good night and went to sit next to the small fire as Sayomi lay down on her pile of dry grass that Takehiko had provided. She quickly drifted off to sleep, leaving Takehiko to himself.

xxxxxx

Takehiko sat staring into the flames of the fire, thinking. Sayomi had reminded him of Aika before, but when he had seen her today in her new pelts he could have sworn he had seen a ghost.

He sighed to himself as he realized that he was becoming quite attached to the woman's companionship. He had been alone for so long... He enjoyed her company immensely. She was fiesty, and she was strong. But at the same time she was sweet, and she was lovely. As he thought of her he felt a pulling at his heart, something he hadn't felt since the death of his beloved Aika.

'What is this? Could it be that I've become more than just attached to her companionship?' he questioned himself, struggling with his own heart. He felt almost like he was betraying Aika, wolves mated for life. 'No, I just see Aika in her, and am therefore drawn to her,' he concluded.

He looked over at Sayomi's sleeping form, and imagined it was Aika laying there, waiting for him to come to bed. He let the feeling of love and loss wash over him as he recalled his lost love. He ran through his memories of her, until he came to her death. He saw Kouga standing over her body, spear driven into her heart. His blood boiled.

Growling low, he swore out loud. "Kouga, hurry and come. Hurry so I can kill you."


	10. Chapter 10: Two Hearts

A/N: Thank you again to all of you who continue to review, and to all of you who have followed my work, whether it be from the beginning or only recently. Without you guys this wouldn't be possible, because I'd probably lose my drive to write. You guys rock!

* * *

Kouga raced through the woods, following Takehiko's trail. He was anxious to see Sayomi, anxious to make sure that she was all right.

When he thought about the possibility that Takehiko may have harmed her, or worse killed her, his blood grew hot and he was sick with worry all at the same time. Sayomi's disappearance had brought hidden emotions in him to the surface, and now facing these emotions, he couldn't imagine what he would do if he ever lost her. No, he knew what would happen. _He would die_.

He wished now that he hadn't been so stubborn, that he had told Sayomi how he felt and had the chance to hold her in his arms as his mate. 'Now I may never have that chance,' he thought bitterly to himself as he kicked himself mentally.

As he followed the tracks Takehiko's scent came to his nose, fresh this time.

"Ah ha! I've got you now!" he yelled.

With renewed hope and energy, he gave one last burst of speed, only to find himself confronted by a mountain of epic proportions.

"Mount Takao..." he breathed.

He and Takehiko had played here as children, and staring at the mountain he now knew where his old friend had taken his love.

Quickly he scanned the mountain side, his eyes searching. Finally he found the crevasse that lead deep into the mountain, a place that only Takehiko and he knew about.

The sky turned to twilight as he raced forward, praying to the kami that nothing had happened to Sayomi, and that somehow, through all of this, his and Takehiko's past could be settled.

xxxxxx

Sayomi woke with a start, tears streaming from her eyes, though she made no sound. She had been dreaming of Kouga again.

She had been having these dreams ever since she was taken from the den. Her dreams were bright and clear, and they were always of Kouga searching for her. This dream, though, had shown him finding and rescuing her. Knowing the reality of her situation, she sat crying silently now, wishing that it hadn't been a dream, that it had been real.

'But I'm not crying because I'm scared,' she thought to herself, fighting back the tears. 'I have become fond of Takehiko, and I can tell, even though he doesn't always act like it, that he has become fond of me as well. I'm only crying because... I miss Kouga.'

As Sayomi thought these last words to herself, she had an epiphany. She had always cared about Kouga, always adored him. But as she thought of him now her heart longed for him. Sayomi, the mighty warrior, had finally fallen in love.

Her tears stopped now as she fully grasped the meaning of the word. She repeated it over and over to herself, a smile forming on her lips.

"Love... Love... Love... _I am in love._" Her words were soft, but they filled her soul. She stood and walked over to the fire where Takehiko still sat, staring at the flames. Standing before him, she waited for him to acknowledge her.

Slowly he turned his attention from the fire to her, and seeing the determined look on her face, eyed her warily.

"What's wrong?" he asked. "Do you need anything?"

Sayomi shook her head. "I have a request," she told him.

He looked at her for a moment, wondering what she could possibly want. Even though he had offered her anything that he could provide, she had never asked for anything while she had been with him.

"What can I do for you, Sayomi?" he asked her, tone soft.

She steeled herself, ready to beg and plead if necessary, although those actions would definitely be a first for her.

"When or if Kouga comes for me," she stopped and took a breath. After a moment, she began again.

"When or if Kouga comes for me, I would like for you not to harm him." Her voice was firm, almost commanding.

Takehiko snorted. "That is not possible. You ask too much."

Sayomi sank to her knees before him, hands clasped before her.

"Please, Takehiko, please. I know now that if you carry out your intention to kill Kouga, I will die as well. I cannot, will not live without him. If you end his life, you end mine as well."

Takehiko saw the pain and pleading in her eyes, and Aika flashed before his eyes, taking Sayomi's place as he became lost in his memories again.

_**Aika knelt before him, hands holding his face, forcing him to look at her. **_

_**"Takehiko," Aika begged. "You must take me as your mate, no matter what they say. I love you, and only you. Without you, I will die. You are my soul mate, my heart beats only for you. If I am forced to live without you, then my heart will have no reason to beat anymore..."**_

Takehiko shook his head, clearing the memory from his mind, and looked away from Sayomi, choosing to stare at a cave wall instead.

Sayomi steeled herself once more as she prepared for her last resort. Drawing all of her will and pushing aside her pride, she pulled her hair to one side of her neck and laid her head in Takehiko's lap, exposing her throat to him.

Takehiko felt something on his lap, and looked down. His eyes widened as he looked at Sayomi who was performing an open display of submission to him. Her violet eyes locked onto his, pleading her case silently.

He stared at her for a moment, not daring to move, unsure of how to react. He certainly had never intended to ever have her submit to him. Before he had taken her, he had heard whispers of her fiery defiance, and she had proved this to him in the early days of her capture. Her actions now were purely unlike her.

As he pondered this, he heard her speak ever so softly. So softly that had he been human he would never have heard it.

"I love him..." she whispered.

Takehiko took her head in his hands and pushed her back into a sitting position. Looking into her eyes he knew she spoke the truth. He felt his heart tear. More than anything he wanted to avenge his mate's death. But now, having gotten to know this woman, he wanted also to protect her from the pain that he himself experienced. He struggled with both of these things, unsure of what to do.

A single tear fell down her cheek as she watched him. She sought to explain herself to him.

"Takehiko," she cried. "I don't ask this only for Kouga's life, but for yours as well. You seek to kill him, but he may just kill you. In the time I have spent here I have come to know you as a brother, a comrade." Tears stained her face now, her violet eyes shining. "I couldn't stand to lose either of you!"

He was taken aback by her display of emotion. He hadn't known that she felt this way. He laughed bitterly to himself. 'She's kidnapped and used as bait to lure the one she loves to his death, and in the midst of all this she comes to care for her captor. I can't believe it.'

"Sayomi..." he breathed, voice filled with emotion. "You ask too much..." He turned away from her again, although this time something wrenched at his heart as he did so.

Sayomi, seeing that it was no use, retreated to one corner of the cave and gave herself over to her tears. Either way, she was going to lose someone she loved. Slowly her tears became tears of frustration rather than pain. She decided that no matter what the cost, she was going to stop this. She would keep Takehiko and Kouga from their battle, even if it meant her life.

xxxxxx

Kouga felt his way along the fissure wall, groping in the darkness. His body barely fit the opening, and he growled in annoyance.

"Either this fissure's gotten smaller, or I've gained a few pounds," he muttered to himself. Suddenly he picked up another scent that was mingled with Takehiko's. 'Sayomi...' he thought as he tried to claw his way faster along the passage way. As he drew closer, another scent wrapped around Sayomi's. It was salt water.

"She's crying!" he murmured. He felt his stomach twist in a knot as he fought his hardest to reach her. Scrambling as fast as possible along the stone walls, he finally came to the end of the passage way, and burst out, his eyes searching for his love.

Meanwhile, Takehiko, hearing Kouga's approach, had receded to a corner of the cave to hide, ready to ambush the wolf prince. He watched as Kouga searched the dimly lit cave earnestly for Sayomi.

Kouga turned suddenly upon hearing a gasp, only to plummet to the ground, something heavy holding on to him for dear life.

"Kouga!" Sayomi cried, tears running down her face.

Kouga, still a little dazed by her tackling him, looked up to find violet eyes gazing down at him. Suddenly those violet eyes were inches away from his own, the owner's lips pressed against his own. Kouga felt a euphoria wash over him as he felt Sayomi's lips move over his own. When she broke the kiss and moved away, his first instinct was to grab her and kiss her again, he never wanted that feeling to end.

Sayomi slowly moved to Kouga's side allowing him to sit up. As he looked at her his eyes were clouded, and he was grinning like a fool. Sayomi blushed, realizing what she had just done.

'Well,' she thought, 'I was only acting on my feelings. Is that so bad?' She blushed deeper.

Slowly Kouga's eyes cleared, and he stood, pulling Sayomi to her feet as well.

"Let's go, Sayomi," he said, pulling her toward the fissure. She followed hesitantly, knowing that Takehiko was hiding in the shadows some where.

Takehiko watched the couple's reunion silently, his heart still torn by his desire for revenge and his desire to protect. Watching the two stand to leave, he decided he had given them enough time alone, and stepped out of the shadows to confront Kouga.

"Kouga, it's been a long time," he said softly, his voice hinting a growl.

Kouga stopped walking and looked at Takehiko, his eyes softening, and then hardening as he remember that this was the man that had taken Sayomi from him. Kouga shoved Sayomi behind him, determined to protect her.

"Takehiko," he returned. "You have a lot of nerve coming into _my_ den and taking _my_ woman."

Sayomi blushed behind him. 'Did he just call me his woman?!' A small smile danced across her lips before the gravity of the situation caused it to fade.

Takehiko snorted. "I have a lot of nerve?! At least I let her live, which was not a courtesy that you bestowed upon Aika!" He was snarling by the end of his little speech.

Kouga remembered that day all to clearly in his mind. "Takehiko," he said calmly. "I didn't kill Aika. You don't know what happened!" He stood ready for battle, but his eyes pleaded with his friend, asking him to hear him out, to stop this madness.

Takehiko shook his head and his body tensed.

"I don't believe you!" he screamed as he launched himself at Kouga, murder written in his eyes.


	11. Chapter 11: Battle!

A/N: Ah! Another chapter! I'm sure the suspense has been killing you all!

At this point I would really like to thank all my readers and reviewers, you guys are so amazing. I love reading your responses and knowing that you all are enjoying the story. I would especially like to thank Lady Rini and KeikoHayasaka. Lady Rini for her constant feed back, and KeikoHayasaka for her eunthusiastic, though sometimes violent, support, haha. You two are especially wonderful!

Anyway, enough with my mushy rambling, on to the story!

* * *

Kouga flung Sayomi out of the way before jumping out of Takehiko's reach himself. She landed several feet away, and watched in horror as Kouga returned the attack, his fist connecting with Takehiko's jaw with a sickening crunch. Takehiko staggered backwards, clutching is face. He growled at Kouga and attacked again, his claws tearing the flesh of Kouga's arm, the blood pouring freely.

Sayomi watched as their battled raged on, Kouga and Takehiko equally matched, one gaining on the other only to have the other gain on him in return. 'If this continues on, they'll both die!' Her heart cried out for both them.

Kouga had just dodged a furious blow from Takehiko, and now readied himself to make his own attack. He jumped high, bringing his leg down in a powerful kick on Takehiko's shoulder. The sound of breaking bone filled the cave, as did Takehiko's snarls. Takehiko jumped out of Kouga's reach, clutching his shoulder, and the battle paused for a moment.

Kouga, seeing an opportunity to reason with his old friend, called out to him.

"Takehiko! Please, let me explain. I didn't kill Aika! I was trying to save her!" He pleaded with his friend, hoping that Takehiko would come to his senses.

Takehiko, still holding his broken shoulder, glared at Kouga.

"Don't lie to me, Kouga! I saw you standing over her body, spear plunged into her chest! You killed her! And how could you?! Kouga, you were like a brother to me, and you killed my mate!"

With renewed fury he tackled Kouga, pinning him to the ground. He punched Kouga repeatedly in the face, so that by the time Kouga managed to escape his fury, blood poured from his nose and his lip was split.

Kouga stood slumped, a grimace on his face. He refused to give up. No matter what, Takehiko would hear him out.

"Stop you fool!" he yelled. "I was trying to save her! I was coming to warn you of the soldiers! I came upon you battling and sought her out to get her to safety!"

Takehiko howled. "You lie!" He attacked Kouga once more, knocking him off his feet. Kouga lay on the ground, Takehiko standing over him, ready to deal the final blow.

"Takehiko," Kouga pleaded. "I tried to save her from her death; it was not I who killed her. I know you think I killed her but-"

He was cut off by Takehiko, who with a blow knocked him to the ground. "Shut up! I don't want to hear anymore of your lies! I will have my revenge!" With that he drew back his arm, claws flexed, and let it fly.

Sayomi watched as Takehiko stood over Kouga, and realized he meant this to be his final blow. She jumped up, and using all her strength willed herself to reach the pair in time.

"NO!" she screamed as she saw Takehiko let his arm fly, intent on the kill. With every once of will and strength in her body, she flung herself between Kouga and Takehiko's claws.

There was a sickening sound of tearing flesh, and Kouga watched in horror as Sayomi's blood flew across his vision. Sayomi landed with a thud, a soft cry escaping her lips.

Kouga stared at her still form, unable to fully register what had just happened, while Takehiko looked repeatedly from his claws to Sayomi, realizing what he had just done.

Kouga, finally coming to understand what had happened, let out a feral snarl and lunged at Takehiko, grabbing him around the throat and suspending him in the air. Takehiko hung there, unstruggling, knowing that what he had just done was inexcusable. 'I never meant for the girl to get hurt,' he thought. 'Sayomi, please forgive me. I deserve my death and accept it.'

Kouga, who was ready to strangle Takehiko to death, heard Sayomi call out to him.

"Kouga..." Sayomi called out weakly. Kouga dropped Takehiko and was at her side in an instant, cradling her in his arms.

"Sayomi, hold on. I've save you, you _will_ live." He stroked her hair, silent tears falling down his face.

"Kouga... Don't kill him... Please..." she begged him. "I belive you... Tell him the truth now..." Her eyes closed with her last words and her body went limp in his arms. Kouga let at a mournful howl, his heart torn apart.

He turned and glared at Takehiko, who sat staring at the pair, a look of sheer pain and regret in his eyes.

"Kouga..." He whispered, not daring to disturb the air. "I'm so sorry. Please, take my life in exchange. I give it to you."

Kouga growled. "No, I will let you live with your pain, that is worse than any death I could bring to you. But let me tell you something, Takehiko. _I did not kill Aika_. When I came upon your battle I sought her out, but when I found her one of the warriors did as well, and let his spear fly." His voice grew soft now, remembering as he stroked Sayomi's face.

"I tried to intercept it, I did. But I was too late, Takehiko. I tried to remove the spear, to save her the disgrace of being seen that way. That is what you saw, Takehiko. All these centuries you have sat, plotting your revenge on me, when I was the only ally that you had."

Takehiko sat silently for a moment, letting Kouga's words sink in. Kouga's words were sincere, they were not a lie. He had cost his friend so much in pursuit of his revenge, and in the end his revenge was worthless.

In that moment a soft sigh escaped Sayomi's lips and both men immediately turned their attention to her. Kouga stood, still holding Sayomi in his arms, and made to leave. 'If I leave now,' he thought silently, 'I may be able to save her.'

Takehiko stood as well, knowing he had only one change to try to right things.

He approached Kouga cautiously, and Kouga stopped and turned to face him. When Kouga didn't move to stop him, he bent to check Sayomi's pulse. It was weak, and growing weaker by the moment. Takehiko placed a hand on Kouga's shoulder, and looked him deep in the eyes, hoping to convey his sincerity.

"Kouga, I have wronged you in the worst way. Please, allow me a chance to make things right."

Kouga knew Takehiko spoke truthfully, and nodded for him to continue

"Sayomi is not dead yet," Takehiko stated. "But if you attempt to take her all the way back to your den she will surely die."

Kouga frowned. This possibility had occurred to him.

Takehiko continued. "Kouga, please let me try to right my wrongs. I know of a powerful demon healer nearby. Let me take you to her. We may be able to save her."


	12. Chapter 12: A Warriors Will to Live

A/N: Poor Sayomi... Sacraficed herself for love. You know, I hate weak women. That's the reason that the main character of my story is a strong and defiant woman. Some one who believes in herself, and knows her worth. Weak and whiny women annoy the hell out of me, that's why Kagome bugs the shit out of me! Inuyasha's always protecting her ass! Now Sango on the other hand, that's a real woman... Ahem. Enough with my drooling and what not... Anyways, like I was saying, Sayomi is, in my mind, an ideal portrayal of how I think women should be. Just a little insight into your crazy author's mind.

SO! Here's another chapter, which I have rushed to you under threat of torture by those who shall remain nameless... _cough _**KeikoHayasaka** _cough_

Chika means "wisdom."

* * *

Takehiko and Kouga sped through the dark forest, the moonlight guiding their steps. Kouga carried an unconscious Sayomi in his arms, and prayed every second that she would make it. She had lost a lot of blood, and even the natural healing of her youkai body could not assist with that much blood lost. He glanced over at his companion, and felt again mixed emotions. Part of him wanted to rip Takehiko's heart from his chest, and another part of him felt overwhelming love, the love he had always held for his friend, and the love he now felt having him back at his side. He struggled internally, trying to get a grip on both of these feelings.

Meanwhile, Takehiko ran with all the speed he had in an effort to match Kouga's pace. Leading the way through the trees, his mind raced. He couldn't believe what he had done; much less believe that Kouga had spared his life. 'No matter how long it takes, I will make things right.'

They ran all night, their speed never decreasing. As the dawn broke over the land they came to the forest's end. Stopping at its edge, they gazed across the wide valley before them. Sayomi's breathing was loud and ragged now, and as Kouga looked down at her face, he noted that her normally ivory skin was now paler than ever. The worry that he was feeling spread to his face, and Takehiko tried to comfort him.

"Kouga, look there," he said, pointing to the opposite side of the valley. "Do you see that waterfall?"

Kouga squinted his eyes against the sun. On the opposite side of the valley a large waterfall flowed freely over the mountain cliffs. Kouga turned to Takehiko and nodded his acknowledgement.

Takehiko winced inwardly as he noted that Kouga had not spoken a word to him since they had left the mountain cave. He didn't let his pain show however.

"The healer resides in a cave at the foot of that waterfall," he told Kouga. "If we give it our all, we can reach it before midday."

Kouga looked at Takehiko for a moment, and snorted.

"Then what the hell are we standing around here for? Let's go!" Kouga sped off in the direction of the waterfall, leaving Takehiko standing, dumbfounded.

Regaining his composure, Takehiko stared at Kouga's retreating back and shook his head. Kouga definitely hadn't lost any of his spark since they had last seen each other. Smiling, he took off after him.

xxxxxx

As Takehiko predicted, they managed to reach the waterfall before the sun was high in the sky, and they stood panting at the water's edge for a moment, trying to catch their breath. Takehiko, knowing they had no time to lose, pointed to the vicinity of the cave as he tried to steady his breathing. Kouga nodded, and Takehiko lead the way.

Entering the cave, Takehiko spotted the healer right away, and bowed before her. "Lady Chika, I seek your aide."

Kouga stood in the cave's entrance, looking the woman over. She was a lovely woman, and appeared to be middle-aged. She had long black hair, and it flowed loosely around her. Her eye's were a deep brown, and seemed to posses all the wisdom of the ages. Her face was soft and kind, she seemed to smile with all her being. Her appearance was much akin to a mortal, and she might have passed as one, save for the pointed ears that Kouga now saw as she tucked her hair behind them.

"My, my," she said softly, looking at Takehiko, who still knelt before her. "It's been a long time my friend." She patted Takehiko's hand gently. "Why have you sought me out?"

Takehiko gestured to Kouga, who immediately brought Sayomi over to the pair, and laid her before the healer. He knelt beside Takehiko and cleared his throat.

"Please, lady healer." He said softly. "Please save her."

Kouga and Chika locked eyes, and Kouga pleaded with her silently, trying to convey the anguish he felt, and the love for Sayomi that filled his heart. Chika was touched by this, sensing the bond between the two.

She turned to the girl lying before her to examine her wounds. She motioned for the men to look away, and pealed the girl's pelts off. Chika gasped at the sight that awaited her. Deep gashes ran from Sayomi's left shoulder across her chest and down to her right hip, as if the girl had twisted while receiving the wound. She wondered what had happened, but said nothing. Gently she covered the girl with a thin blanket to preserve her modesty, and called the men back to attention.

"Well," she started, "I am truly amazed by this young woman. The wounds she sustained should have killed her immediately. These gashes penetrate to her very organs. Whoever attacked her was intent on killing."

Takehiko hung his head in shame, Kouga glared at him half-heartedly, and Chika raised an eyebrow.

"I'm not going to ask what happened," she continued. "Because I don't think I really want to know."

Takehiko thanked her silently.

"Can you save her?" Kouga asked hopefully. His Sayomi was a fighter, she wouldn't give up on life, but she was going to need the healer's help in order to survive.

Chika looked at Sayomi thoughtfully.

"I can save her," she told Kouga.

In an instant Kouga and Takehiko were bowing before her again, this time in thanks.

"But," she cautioned, "In order to do so you must do _exactly_ as I say from here on out. It's going to take all my power to save her, and I will need your aide."

The pair nodded vigorously, and vowed to her that they would do whatever was necessary to save Sayomi from death.

Chika smiled for a moment, and then her face hardened. "Time to get to work, boys."

xxxxxx

Kouga and Takehiko lay outside the cave, exhausted. For the last three days Chika had them working around the clock, fetching herbs, boiling water, washing bloody rags, whatever was needed. She had kicked them out for the time being, needing to concentrate on the task at hand.

Takehiko rolled over so he could see Kouga, and Kouga noticing out of the corner of his eye turned to face Takehiko as well.

"What's up?" Kouga asked him coolly. Takehiko fidgeted, unsure of how to begin.

"Kouga, I just want you to know that I never meant to harm her, I didn't even know the truth. I'm so truly sorry, and if she doesn't make it, I still offer my life to you in repentance."

Kouga stared at Takehiko for a moment before sitting up.

"Takehiko, you were like a brother to me, and even through everything that has happened you still are. Yes, I am wounded by what you did, but in the end it was my fault as well. If we hadn't fought, or even if I had let you kill me, Sayomi would never have been hurt." He laid a hand on Takehiko's slumped shoulder. "No matter what happens, I will not take your life, my brother."

Takehiko looked at Kouga with tear filled eyes and grinned. "Yes... My brother."

xxxxxx

The first thing Sayomi felt as she started to gain consciousness was pain, burning pain. It seared across her chest and down her side, and she gave a little whimper. She struggled to understand why she was in pain, and then it all came flooding back to her. 'Kouga and Takehiko were fighting, I tried to stop them.' The pain shot through her again. 'What happened to them? Did they stop fighting? Did they live?' She struggled to move her body, and cried out in pain.

Something shifted beside her, and she felt a hand on her forehead. Slowly she opened her eyes, and saw a women's kind face gazing down at her.

"Ah," Chika whispered. "You've finally awoken. How are you feeling, my dear?"

Sayomi groaned. "I feel like shit," she said bluntly.

Chika laughed softly. "I bet. Just try to lie still, and I'll apply some herbs that will dull the pain."

Sayomi nodded, and Chika commenced her task. Sayomi lay still, allowing Chika to work quickly.

"Excuse me," Sayomi said politely. "But what is your name?"

Chika glanced at her before returning to her work. "My name is Chika," she told her.

Sayomi sighed. "Chika, how did I come to be here? Who brought me?"

Chika finished applying the last of the herb salve and sat back.

"You were brought her by two very concerned men," she told Sayomi. "They've been working day and night for three days now at my command in order to save you. They must care about you very much."

Sayomi's eyes widened and she struggled to sit up, but the pain ran through her violently, causing her to collapse back.

"You must stay lying down," Chika told her. "If you keep moving, those wounds will never heal."

Sayomi beckoned Chika closer. "Was it Kouga and Takehiko?" she demanded. "Are they all right?"

Chika smiled. "They're fine, they're just outside. Would you like me to summon them?"

Sayomi nodded vigorously, and Chika went to the entrance and said something too soft for her to hear. In an instant Kouga was at her side, his eyes and face full of concern.

"Sayomi, you're alive. You're alright!" Kouga wanted to scoop her up in his arms, to hold her and kiss her. But a glance from Chika warned him that it was not wise to do so. He contented himself with holding her hand. He had so much he wanted to say to her, but he decided it would be better wait. He just smiled down at her, so happy that she was alright.

Sayomi gazed at Kouga for a moment, her heart calling out to him. She was so happy he was alive! Her plan had worked. She was pulled from her thoughts as something in the cave entrance caught her eye. She turned her head to see Takehiko standing uneasily in the entrance; his eye's filled with emotion. She beckoned for him to come to her, and he did, sinking to his knees beside her.

"Sayomi, I'm so sorry," he breathed, not knowing what else to say. "Kouga explained to me what happened all those years ago, I'm so sorry for mixing you up in all of this, for hurting you. "

Sayomi raised her hand and stroked the side of his face, wiping away the single tear that had managed to slip down his cheek.

"Takehiko," she said softly. "I don't blame you for anything, nor you Kouga." She looked at them both with shining eyes. "I was the one who decided my course of action; all blame for my current predicament rests with me. I'm just glad you both are still alive, and no longer fighting. I couldn't bear to lose either of you."

Takehiko smiled at her, as did Kouga. However, Kouga, at the same time, was thinking. 'I don't know what happened between them while she was away, but the way she speaks of him... Has she fallen for him?' Kouga's heart twisted, and he nearly winced at the thought. He had come to save her and she had fallen for another. She was showing Takehiko more affection than she was him. He kept his face a mask, unwilling to show his emotions. Silently he patted her hand and stood, walking back outside.

Sayomi was baffled by Kouga's sudden stiffness. Had she said something wrong? She looked at Takehiko with questioning eyes, and he shrugged. She shrugged back.

Thinking, Sayomi suddenly asked Takehiko, "When I'm healed, will you come back with us and join the Eastern tribe?"

"What? You want me to join your tribe?" he questioned her.

She smiled. "Yes. Since you no longer have a tribe, I would like you to come back with us. I'm sure Kouga would not object. Besides, you have become very dear to me, much like a big brother."

Takehiko grinned. "Big brother, eh? Hmm, alright then. But you do realize that I'm still a fugitive, and the tribe leaders want my blood?"

Sayomi shook her head. "I don't think that will be a problem. The leaders had since been replaced by their successors, who I happen to know very well. I shall plead your case, and I don't think they will give you any trouble." Her eyes pleaded with him silently.

Takehiko melted and nodded, though still unsure. "I'm not to sure about this, but after what I've put you through, I'll do anything you ask." He smiled at her.

"Please, just trust me," she told him, smiling back.

xxxxxx

A week passed, and Sayomi was finally healed enough to move about, although she was only permitted to do so for short periods of time. Her wounds had healed over and were now scars, though her flesh was still tender. Kouga had been distant all week, while Takehiko had been at her side constantly, frustrating Sayomi. She felt that it really ought to have been the other way around.

Chika and Sayomi now sat in the cave, waiting for the men to return. Sayomi sat mending her pelts, cursing Takehiko for tearing through such beautiful furs.

Chika laughed at the girl's fiery attitude as she called for her to come over. "Sayomi, let me have one last look at those scars before you set off."

Sayomi obeyed and stood, going to the healer. Chika quickly went over the scars, looking for any weakness in them. She found none.

"You've fully healed," she told Sayomi. "But I'm afraid I have some bad news."

Sayomi raised an eyebrow at the healer. "What kind of bad news?" she prompted.

"These scars," Chika began carefully. "These scars may never fully heal and vanish. They may stay with you the rest of your life."

Sayomi laughed. "Is that all?" she asked. Chika looked shocked, and Sayomi continued. "Chika, I will wear these scars with pride. They were born of a warrior's heart and courage, and I am not ashamed of them." Chika smiled at the girl.

Sayomi did a little twirl, as if to show off the faint purple lines that ran down her body. "Besides," she laughed, "They kind of compliment my eyes!"


	13. Chapter 13: Bitter Words, Aching Hearts

A/N: New chapter! Umm, I don't have much to say this time around except for thank you again to all of you that have continued to review, and thank you to all you new comers for finding my story worthy of reading. You guys are all amazing, except for KeikoHayasaka...

WHO'S SUPER AMAZING!

Betcha didn't see that one coming.

* * *

Sayomi sat on the edge of the cliff outside the den, watching the sun set. It had been over a week since she, Kouga, and Takehiko had returned to the Eastern tribe's den, and she for the entire world could not understand what was wrong with Kouga. Tucking a stray strand of hair behind her ear, she sat and pondered the recent events.

She, Kouga, and Takehiko had said their goodbyes to Chika and set off toward the East. Takehiko had been uneasy the entire trip home, worried about the possible "reception" he might recieve. Sayomi had done her best to constantly reassure him that she would speak to the tribe leaders and clear his name. Kouga, on the other hand, had been silent the entire way home, giving both Sayomi and Takehiko the cold shoulder. She had no idea why. She had tried several times to go to him, to talk to him, but he always heard her approaching and managed to slip away before she could get to him.

Upon returning to the den, the pack went into celebration for the return of their sister and their leader. They even celebrated the return of the lost wolf prince, Takehiko, much to his embarrassment. The day after their return, Sayomi herself sent runners to Isamu and Hitoshi, requesting an audience with them. They, of course, did not refuse, and insisted that they come to her, rather than she to them. Two days later they arrived, and Sayomi plead Takehiko's case before them.

"Hitoshi, Isamu, I ask you as a friend to please allow for Takehiko's return to the tribe lands, that he be received among his own kind without fear of persecution for something that should not have been persecuted in the first place." Sayomi stood before them, tall and proud.

Isamu and Hitoshi glanced at each other warily. If they did not give into her demands, they might just have a one woman riot on their hands. Both thinking the same thing, they chuckled. Sayomi looked at them in annoyance.

"Sayomi, on what grounds to you submit this request? Takehiko is considered a traitor for taking a mate without the permission of the tribes." Hitoshi raised an eyebrow at her.

"You two know full well that love cannot be limited, and Takehiko and Aika's love should not have been under such restraints. They should have been allowed to be together, and they only reason they weren't was because of the selfish pride of a tribe leader. Those who took part in the murder of Aika and attack of Takehiko should be the ones punished, not him. Right the wrongs of the tribes past by allowing him to return." Sayomi was out of breath by the end of her little speech.

Glancing at one another again, Isamu and Hitoshi knew that even if Sayomi had just asked and not demanded to plead her case, they would have given her what she wanted. They nodded to each other in agreement, and turned back to an anxious Sayomi.

Isamu cleared his throat. "Permission granted." Sayomi let a squeal and immediately jumped on the two leaders, hugging them both. Isamu and Hitoshi both turned a lovely shade of pink before trying to remove the girl. Sayomi let go and beamed at them.

"Thank you, thank you both."

They nodded, and Hitoshi moved to speak.

"Sayomi, tell me, how are you and Kouga?"

Sayomi's smile faded. "What do you mean 'me and Kouga'?"

Hitoshi saw his error immediately. He had thought that Kouga would have made his move by now, but obviously the idiot was too dense to do so. Hitoshi tried to salvage the conversation and cover his mistake.

"I merely meant how are your lives since your return."

Sayomi frowned. "I've been fine, but I don't know how Kouga's doing. He won't even talk to me..."

Isamu heard the sadness and pain in the girl's voice, and went to her. He placed his hand on her shoulder affectionately. "I'm sure he's just trying to get over the shock of you being kidnapped and then returned to him."

Sayomi nodded half-heartedly, and Hitoshi informed her and Isamu that it was time for them to depart.

Sayomi thanked them profusely before they departed, and rushed to tell Takehiko the news. He was, quite naturally, shocked that she had managed to sway the leaders. She explained to him that they had been suitors, and had, in the end, ended up her friends rather than mates. Takehiko had laughed at her audacity to turn away a wolf prince, and she had hit him in the head.

And so she came to the present. She watched the sun sink below the horizon as the day came to twilight. With a sigh she stood and returned to the den, only to be assaulted by Ginta and Hakkaku's boisterous yelling. They were in a battle of the wits, which Sayomi noted, wasn't going along very well. 'Probably because they don't even have half a brain put together.' She giggled at the thought. She sought the fire in the middle of the cave, where she found Takehiko, whittling away at a large piece of wood. She sat down beside him and watched.

"What are you doing, Takehiko?" she asked him, consumed by his work.

He looked over at her, and seeing the rapt look on her face laughed.

"What?" she asked him, slightly annoyed.

"Nothing, nothing," he said quickly. "And as for this," he pointed to the piece of wood, "This is a surprise."

"Aww, that's not fair!" Sayomi teased.

Takehiko smiled. "Fair or not, it's still a surprise."

Sayomi scowled and grumbled, "Oh, alright."

Takehiko gave her a playful nudge before returning to his work, leaving Sayomi to her own devices. She saw Kouga slip past Ginta and Hakkaku to his bed at the back of the den, and saw her chance to finally speak with him.

Kouga lay with his back to her as she approached, and she knelt beside him, placing her hand on his side.

"Kouga?" she asked almost timidly. He jumped at the sound of her voice. Turning over, he lay facing her silently.

"Kouga?" she asked again. "What's wrong? Why won't you talk to me? Are you mad I got in the way; that I got hurt?"

As she gazed into his eyes she saw anger and she saw hurt, and she couldn't understand why. The expression on Kouga's face was one of struggle, and it tore her heart.

"Kouga, please speak to me!" she begged.

He glared at her. "Why don't you go talk to Takehiko?" he spat. "I'm sure you two have plenty to talk about." He stood abruptly, and made to leave. Sayomi stood and leapt in his way, blocking his path.

"What is wrong with you, Kouga? Why are you acting this way?" she was half begging, half growling.

"No, what's wrong with you?" he raged. "I come to save you, and you're all snuggly with the idiot that kidnapped you! All this time, Sayomi, I have cared for you. And when you were taken I almost lost my mind. I didn't know what I would do if I didn't reach you in time, what I would do if you were harmed!" He paused for a moment and Sayomi realized that the entire den had fallen silent. Kouga struggled to restrain himself, and continued on in barely a whisper. "I didn't know what I would do if I never got the chance to tell you I love you..."

With that, Kouga shoved a now shocked Sayomi to the side and exited the cave. Sayomi, after recovering herself, ran after him, but he was gone.

xxxxxx

Kouga ran at full speed, determined not to let Sayomi catch up with him. He couldn't believe what he had said to her, that he had been so harsh. That was no way to confess his love to her, she deserved better. 'Maybe she deserves Takehiko,' he thought miserably.

In the end, all he wanted was her happiness, but why couldn't her happiness be with him? She spent so much time with Takehiko, laughing with him and dotting on him. How could she expect him not to know what was going on? And on top of that, didn't Takehiko deserve a second chance at love? Takehiko had his love ripped away from him; he deserved to be happy again.

But why did this all have to interfere with the one that _he_ loved? Kouga was frustrated beyond belief. He didn't know what to do. He wasn't even sure that he _could_ let Sayomi go even if he tried.

Pushing it all to the back of his mind he ran on, letting the wind caress his face and the earth beneath his feet soothe his aching soul.

xxxxxx

Sayomi stood silently in the den entrance, still reeling from what Kouga had said. 'He said he loved me...' she thought hazily. She couldn't believe it. And on top of that, somehow he had gotten it in his head that she was going to chose Takehiko as her mate! Ha!

She tried to recall what she might have done to make Kouga think such a thing. She had of course been kind to Takehiko, even affectionate. But that had never extended beyond the love of a pack mate, a brother, a comrade. It was no different from the affection that she showed to Ginta and Hakkaku.

'Kouga must have managed to convince himself of it,' she decided. Her heart ached for Kouga, for his misunderstanding. As she gazed up at the sky she found the full moon gazing back, and it reminded her of that night in lily field. She sighed, allowing the memory to caress her soul. Shaking herself from her reverie, she knew where she wanted to be. Without telling anyone, she slipped out of the den and made her escape, running towards her own little paradise. She had a feeling that Kouga would be heading there too.


	14. Chapter 14: My Love, Eternal

A/N: Alright, I know it's been a little while since my last chapter, and I apologize. There's just been so much going on, but I didn't forget about you guys, and so I spin the next chapter of Wolf Cry. For those of you who have been waiting for some action, it's finally here. Also, there will probably be only one or two more chapters, but I want to make a sequel, but I don't have any ideas for it, so if you have any ideas for a plot for the sequel, let me know when you review! If I like it, then I'll write it!

At this point I would like to give thanks to all that have review. So thank you to Moonwolf27, Lady Rini, Night Neko-Jin, tsukiko008, Daeth101-Fox version, animemaster62, allmightychloe, naeko101, hollow kenpachi 13, Mistress Persephone, Ookami Kiba, sais sera, watergoddesskasey, adeaneri, bRoKeN aNd UnLoVeD oNe, Shio1, Sakura Lisel, and nozome.

You are all so amazing, I really do love you all so much for keeping me going and encouraging me through your praise and love. I'm so glad that all of you took the time to read my writing, and that you all, in the end, loved it.

A special thanks goes to KeikoHayasaka for all her encouragement. Even though you send me death threats if I don't write, deep down and know that you really love me, hehe.

* * *

Sayomi slowed to a jog and took in her surroundings. She was almost there now, it was just a little further. Something told her that Kouga would wind up here, just as she had, that something drew them here together. She wanted to talk to him know, to tell him the truth. To tell him that he was the only one she wanted, there was no other.

As the scent of night-blooming lilies reached her nose she slowed to a walk. Nimbly she weaved through the trees until she came upon the clearing where she and Kouga had had their most intimate moment. Stopping at the edge of the field, she inhaled the fragrance deeply, allowing it to relax her. She stood there, silently, gazing at the beauty before her.

Meanwhile, Kouga, who by this point had managed to calm himself down somewhat, was walking through the nearby forest. A lite breeze blew through his hair, bringing with it the scent of lilies. He lifted his nose to the scent, letting it invoke the memories. 'That field must be nearby,' he thought. Following the scent, he turned and made his way to the clearing. When he reached the edge of the field, he froze.

Standing on the other side of the clearing was Sayomi. She stood as if in a trance, eyes closed, face lifted towards the moon. His heart skipped a beat as he took in her beauty. Slowly, she opened her eyes and shook her head, as if to clear away a thought. Kouga shrank back into the cover of the trees. He was down wind, she wouldn't know that he was there. He watched as she walked through the clearing to its center, letting her fingertips graze the tops of the flowers as she passed. When she reached the clearing's middle she sighed and sat down, apparently waiting for something. For several minutes she sat and waited, and he hide and watched. Suddenly the breeze changed, and Sayomi sat up rigidly.

"Kouga?" she whispered. He still heard it, and knew he was found out. He considered turning and leaving, but in his heart he knew that all he wanted was to go to her. Slowly he stepped out from behind his cover and into the field, allowing Sayomi to see him.

She smiled and gestured for him to come sit beside her, and, heart aching, he obliged, taking his place next to her.

For a while neither of them said anything, they just sat and looked at the moon and at the lilies. Finally, when Kouga could take the silence no more, he turned to Sayomi, and cleared his throat.

"Sayomi?" He asked quietly.

Sayomi looked at him and sighed. "Kouga, what makes you think that I will choose Takehiko as my mate?"

Kouga fidgeted for a moment, and decided the best course of action would be to apologize.

"Sayomi, I'm sorry about my outburst earlier. You are free to love whoever you want, and your happiness is the most important thing to me." Several moments passed, and Kouga started to fidget again, his head bowed in shame.

Sayomi took his head in her hands and lifted his eyes to hers. A look of melancholy spread over her face as she seemed to struggle with some inner thought. Kouga's heart thudded in his chest, they were in such close proximity...

Finally, Sayomi spoke.

"I am free to love, you say? Whom ever I want?" she asked.

Kouga nodded the best he could with his face still in her hands. "Yes, it's your right. I shouldn't have acted like that, I had no right--"

Sayomi cut him off, placing a finger to his lips. He looked at her quizzically, but stopped talking. Sayomi then spoke softly.

"Am I free to love you?"

Kouga's heart went into overdrive. Was she saying what he thought she was saying? He had to be sure.

"Sayomi?" he questioned, unsure of himself.

She sighed again and withdrew her hands from his face. She drew her knees to her chest and wrapped her arms around then, and sat gazing at the moon as she spoke.

"Kouga, I do not love Takehiko. At least, not in that way. He is my brother, a comrade in arms. He will never be my mate. And even though many suitors have come and many more surely will, I will never take any off them, because you are not one of them." She stopped and smiled slightly. As she continued, she placed her hand on Kouga's, and his heart nearly stopped.

"Kouga, it is you that I love, you are the only one I have ever loved, and the only one that I ever will. When I was held captive, all I wanted was you. And when I thought of the possibility of you getting hurt fighting Takehiko, it tore me up. The thought of you dying, well, I knew that if you did I would too. There would be no reason left for me to live..." she trailed off, trying to find the words to express her undying love to Kouga.

Kouga sat mutely staring at Sayomi, trying to find the words to tell her that he felt the same way, that he loved her more than anything in the world. Finally he gave up, and opted for the only thing that could truly convey how he felt.

Gently he raised his hand to her face, and taking her by the chin he turned her face to his, eyes looking onto hers. Sayomi could see the love written there in his eyes, the love for her. Suddenly she knew what he meant to do, and her heart went from zero to sixty in a second flat.

"Sayomi, I love you..." Kouga breathed as he closed the gap between them.

Sayomi's cheeks filled with color, but she didn't care. The feeling of his lips on her, of the shock and heat the passed between them was pure bliss. She wrapped her arms around Kouga's neck and deepened the kiss, passion consuming her.

Kouga growled contentedly. He finally had what he wanted, and she wanted him too. As Sayomi's silky lips moved over his own he nearly groaned. Every part of him wanted to make her his mate right then and there, but he knew that it must wait, that it would not be right. Slowly, almost unwillingly, he broke the kiss. Sayomi looked at him questioningly, and immediately understand the war that was raging in his mind. She giggled slightly, pleased that she had such and affect on him. But she didn't want to push him, so she settled snuggling. Slowly she crawled in his lap and laid her head on his chest contentedly. Instinctively Kouga drew his arms around her, pulling her against him. Sayomi listened to the Kouga's steady heart beat and smiled happily up at her love, who beamed down at her in return.

They sat like this for several hours, gazing at the moon, content to be together. Kouga picked a lily and tucked it behind Sayomi's ear with small peck to the forehead, and Sayomi thought that the smile that came across her face would never go away.

Dawn began to break, and the lilies began to wilt, just like the last timelast time. 'Only this time, it won't end. We'll leave here together,' Sayomi thought to herself. She stood from Kouga's lap and stretched her muscles, and Kouga did the same. Suddenly he grinned, though Sayomi had no idea why. She ignored it and continued to stretch, at least, until Kouga gave her butt a playful swat. She froze instantly and turned to him. Kouga, thinking he had made a mistake, paled visibly. 'Uh-oh,' he thought to himself, 'Now I'm in trouble.'

Sayomi stood motionless for a moment, then, all at once, her face broke into a wicked grin and she tackled Kouga, pinning him to ground.

"Hey, no fair!" Kouga laughed. "You caught me off guard!"

Sayomi sat straddling him, a look of triumph on her face. This time their position was much more natural, though Kouga's face was a bit flushed. She grinned again and wiggled slightly, and watched as the pink tint on Kouga's cheeks turned to bright red. She laughed and wiggled again.

"You devil!" Kouga said through clenched teeth. Suddenly he had her by the shoulders and had rolled over, pinning her beneath him.

"Aw, no fair! You're stronger that I am!" Sayomi pouted.

Kouga smiled and laughed, then silenced her with a kiss. Slowly the kiss grew heated, and Kouga found his hand running down Sayomi's side, Sayomi found her fingers tangled in Kouga's hair. It was Sayomi who broke the kiss this time, and she lay panting and out of breath. Suddenly she laughed.

"Kouga, we gotta hurry up and get mated soon!" The wicked grin returned to her face.

Kouga laughed with her for a moment, and then grew serious.

"Sayomi," he started, "I would like to ask your permission to court you."

Sayomi almost laughed, but checked herself, seeing that he was dead serious. 'Well, customs do need to be followed,' she reminded herself.

"I grant you permission to begin your courtship," she whispered. Kouga smiled, and Sayomi continued. "But this will be a very short lived courtship, love, because as soon as we get back to the den I intend to make my declaration!"


	15. Chapter 15: Bound by Love, Mates Forever

A/N: Alright! I'm back with another chapter. This is going to be the last chapter, and then there will be an epilogue. Ideas for a sequel are much appreciated, as I would love to make this a series, especially since Kouga and Sayomi seem to have become a favorite pair.

Thanks again to all my devoted fans: Moonwolf27, Lady Rini, Night Neko-Jin, tsukiko008, Daeth101-Fox version, animemaster62, allmightychloe, naeko101, hollow kenpachi 13, Mistress Persephone, Ookami Kiba, sais sera, watergoddesskasey, adeaneri, bRoKeN aNd UnLoVeD oNe, Shio1, Sakura Lisel, and nozome. You all are so freaking amazing its unreal!

And a big huge thanks to KeikoHayasaka. You are seriously so amazing, I don't know what I would do without you here to kick my butt in to gear to keep writing.

* * *

Kouga and Sayomi arrived back at the den shortly after dawn to find the entire pack waiting for them. Kouga took her hand and Sayomi blushed, knowing that the whole pack was looking at them. She looked at Kouga, telling him with her eyes what she meant to do. He smiled at her and nodded, and she turned back to face the tribe. She fidgeted for a moment and cleared her throat, preparing to follow tradition and make her declaration. She steeled herself and began.

"I, Sayomi, of the Eastern wolf tribe, hereby make my declaration, and choose to take Kouga, leader of the Eastern wolf tribe, as my mate. You all will bear witness to this declaration and my intentions."

As she finished, she realized that it was deathly quiet, no one so much as breathed. As she thought about it, she realized that taking Kouga as her mate would make her the alpha female, and therefore of higher rank than the entire pack, with the exception of Kouga. 'Maybe they have a problem with me being an alpha, maybe I've upset them,' she thought nervously. She looked at each member of the pack, waiting for some response. Suddenly a whistle rang through the air, followed quickly by Ginta and Hakkaku jumping on her out of no where.

"It's about damn time!" laughed Ginta as her tousled her hair playfully.

"Yeah, I thought you two were _never_ going to get together!" Hakkaku chimed in, lightly punching her in the arm.

Suddenly there were cries of approval and happiness ringing through the air as the entire pack pulled itself out of its shock and began to celebrate. Sayomi breathed a sigh of relief as she realized they didn't disapprove. In fact, it was quite the opposite of disapproval.

Kouga helped Sayomi push Ginta and Hakkaku off and stand up. The pack was in a frenzy, leaping in the air and howling in praise. Sayomi smiled, warmed by their approval. Sayomi turned to Kouga and wrapped her arms around him, not wanting to be separated in the chaos.

Takehiko approached them slowly, and Kouga nodded to him, informing him in that one gesture that all was well, and the earlier anger was a mistake. Takehiko smiled and nodded back before taking Sayomi's and Kouga's hands.

"I wish you both the best," he told them. "Aside from myself and Aika, I have never in my lifetime seen the kind of bond that you two share. I have no doubts that you will be happy together." With that, he placed their hands together, his own hands covering their connection. Sayomi beamed at him affectionately, and Kouga nodded at him again, unable to find words.

Takehiko took his leave to participate in the merriment, and Kouga turned Sayomi's face to his own.

"He's right you know," he whispered.

Sayomi smiled. "Right about what, love?"

"We will be happy together. Forever." He smiled and ran a finger down the side of her face.

Sayomi blushed and stood on tip-toe, closing the gap between them.

xxxxxx

Sayomi had made her declaration, and Kouga had sent the fastest runners to inform the other packs of her decision, and to invite them to the mating ceremony, which was their right to attend. The ceremony was to take place in two weeks, at the new moon.

Kouga had explained that the ceremony signaled the end of one life alone, and the beginning of a new life together, much like the moon. They would be mated on the night of the new moon, and just as the moon would start a new cycle the next day, they would start their new life as one.

He had also explained that the ceremony was really no more than Sayomi's declaration again, Kouga's acceptance, and the marking. The tribes would be there to witness. He had smirked when he had told her that the actual mating would be done in seclusion, but the tribes would camp outside the cave to witness the evidence of their union, which would be their newly mingled scents, the following morning. Sayomi had punched him for his smirk.

The weeks flew by and the tribes began to arrive. First came the Southern tribe and Isamu, who had hugged her tightly and wished her happiness, and had also informed her of his joy at knowing she would be joining the alpha ranks. "You, with your fiery spirit, were born to be an alpha, just like Kouga, Hitoshi, and I. I am proud to call you sister." He said this with such emotion that Sayomi had to fight back tears.

When Hitoshi finally arrived with the Western Tribe, he went immediately to Sayomi. She was replacing hers and Kouga's beds with new dry grass for the upcoming mating. 'I wonder where it will take place,' she thought, blushing. 'I'd better replace both, just in case.'

So lost in her thoughts was she that when Hitoshi tapped her lightly on her shoulder to get her attention, she just about jumped fifteen feet in the air.

"Jeeze, Hitoshi!" she gasped, wheeling around to face him. "Don't sneak up on me like that!"

Hitoshi chuckled, thinking back to the day that he had come to court Sayomi himself.

"You know," he told her, "You and Kouga seem to have the same problem. I just walked up behind you; you should have heard me as soon as I entered the cave."

Sayomi blushed, realizing that she had been so deep in thought about the upcoming events that she hadn't even heard him approach.

"How have you been, Hitoshi?" she asked him politely.

He sighed. "Can we drop the formalities, Sayomi? I have something to say to you."

She nodded, startled.

"Sayomi, I just want you to know that I never meant any offense by ending our courtship immediately. I knew how Kouga felt about you, about how much he loved you, and I would never get in the way of love as strong as that. So I stepped aside, giving him the chance to step up. The ending result will be your mating."

Sayomi let his words sink in for a moment.

"Oh!" she said quietly. "I never knew that, Hitoshi. Of course, I didn't hold it against you, but still... Thank you for letting me know that." She smiled and hugged him affectionately.

Hitoshi chuckled and hugged her back, wishing her well before returning to his men. The ceremony was two days away, and the tribes were bringing in heaps of flowers to decorate the cave for the occasion. Sayomi sighed, trying to calm her nerves. She had no problem with taking Kouga as her mate, but all the preparations were making her nervous. She told herself it would be over in a few days and then she and Kouga would start their life together. That thought was all that she needed to relax.

xxxxxx

Sayomi stood with Kouga in the back of the cave, behind the partition that the clans had set up so that Kouga and Sayomi could have privacy later that night. All her worrying about their bedding had been shoved aside when the Southern tribe had taken the liberty to make their two beds into one large bed, and sprinkle it with lilies from Sayomi and Kouga's secret clearing.

Sayomi starting pacing, nervous about the ceremony to come. "What's the matter with me?" she whispered to herself. "I've never been this nervous in my life, not even in the heat of battle!"

Kouga took her in his arms in an attempt to soothe her.

"Sayomi, relax. This is no big deal, it really isn't. Don't worry."

She stared at him for a long moment before sighing.

"I know, Kouga, I know. I don't know why I'm acting this way."

She struggled slightly in his arms, almost as if she were trying to get away.

"Sayomi, what's wrong?" Kouga asked anxiously as he tried to subdue her.

"I don't know! Touching you makes me want to run! What's going on?" her voice was on the edge of hysterics.

Kouga thought about what she said for a moment, and then his eyes narrowed. He grabbed her by the arms, and held her in place.

"Hold still," he told her in a low voice. She nodded, and fought the urge to get away from him.

Kouga leaned in close to her and drew in a low breath through his nose, then leaned away again. He stood silent for a moment, and then released Sayomi from his grip.

"Still feel like running?" he asked her, an unknown tone in his voice.

The moment that Kouga had released her she had no longer felt like running, and she told him this. Kouga nodded, although tense.

"Sayomi, do you know why that is? Wait, of course you don't, you're too young to know. This would be your first..." he trailed off, ranting to himself.

"Kouga?" Sayomi called nervously, bringing him back to reality.

Kouga sighed, and sought the words to explain her situation to her subtly. Finally, coming up empty, he gave up and went for the direct approach.

"Sayomi, you've begun to go into heat."

The unfamiliar tone in Kouga's voice was still present, and as Sayomi took in his words she realized what the tone was: lust. Sayomi blushed, realized that the scent she was giving off was calling to Kouga, and he was using all his will power to hold himself at bay. She backed away from him to give him some breathing room. Kouga hadn't picked up on the scent until she had said something, so she must not be giving it off very powerfully yet.

Sure enough, as soon as she moved away from his side his eyes cleared, and he looked at her apologetically.

"So... Why do I want to run then?" she asked him, carefully to keep her distance. She didn't want to push him.

He thought for a moment, and then replied.

"You are an unmated female. Because you have no mate yet, your body instinctually wants to test the strength of any male that comes in contact with you, to determine if he would be a suitable father for your pups. That's why you feel the need to run. You run to test the strength of the male, if he is able to catch you, he is acceptable."

Sayomi let this new knowledge sink in. Because her mother had died years ago and she had been raised by males, she had no knowledge of these things. She marveled at Kouga's patience in explaining these things to her.

"So, once I've been marked, I won't want to run?" she asked him, trying to get a clear picture.

He nodded. "But you will still be in heat, of course. I hope you realize that the scent that's emanating from you will more than likely cause me to ravish you tonight." He smirked and wiggled an eyebrow at her.

She laughed, but the thought of Kouga touching her intimately sent fire rushing through her veins, and suddenly she wanted him.

She grinned wickedly at him, and grabbed his hand.

"What the hell are we waiting for then? Let's get this thing over with!"

xxxxxx

Sayomi and Kouga stood hand in hand before the three tribes who sat on the ground in front of them. Hitoshi knelt at Kouga's feet, and Isamu at Sayomi's, which were places of honor. The ceremony began with Kouga and Sayomi turning to face each other.

Sayomi cleared her throat, and gave her declaration.

"I, Sayomi, of the Eastern wolf tribe, hereby make my declaration, and choose to take Kouga, leader of the Eastern wolf tribe, as my mate. You all will bear witness to this declaration and my intentions."

Hitoshi and Isamu spoke next, in unison.

"We, leaders of the Southern and Western wolf tribes, hereby bear witness to your declaration, as do our packs, and hold no objections to your intentions."

The pack looked to Kouga now, who took Sayomi's hands in his own.

"I, Kouga, leader of the Eastern wolf tribe, hereby make my declaration, and choose to take Sayomi, of the Eastern wolf tribe, as my mate. You will all bear witness to this declaration and my acceptance."

Hitoshi and Isamu spoke again.

"We, leaders of the Southern and Western wolf tribes, hereby bear witness to your declaration, as do our packs, and hold no objections to your union."

Sayomi braced herself for what came next.

Hitoshi and Isamu stood and turned to the watching tribes, and spoke again.

"Let the marking commence, let these two be joined."

The leaders turned and joined their men to watch the marking.

Kouga gave Sayomi's hands a squeeze of reassurance, and she smiled back at him. They dipped their heads to the right collar bone of the other, and left their marks.

Sayomi gasped inaudibly when she felt Kouga's teeth pierce her flesh, and when she felt hers pierce his in return. Biting the tip of her tongue, she let her blood intermingle with Kouga's, and he did the same. They stayed locked like this for several moments, and then released each other at the same moment. The wounds would be healed by the next morning, but the scar would remain forever.

They turned now to the waiting packs, which, the moment Kouga and Sayomi were facing them again, sent up cries and howls of joy. All the tribes jumped to their feet and commenced the celebration of Kouga and Sayomi's union. A great feast was brought in, and the tribes ate and played for hours.

xxxxxx

Just after midnight, the entire Eastern tribe knelt before Sayomi in acknowledgment that she was now their alpha by way of Kouga. She told them that she would help Kouga to govern fairly and justly, and that none of them should ever fear her, because no matter what, she would always be their sister and comrade first and foremost. Cheers went up again when her speech was finished.

Shortly afterward the packs left the den to camp by the lake, giving Kouga and Sayomi privacy. As they all left, there was a lot of whistles and dirty jokes going around, and Sayomi laid out a few of her comrades for embarrassing her. Finally they had all gone, and Kouga lead Sayomi to their bed.

He sat down on their bed and signaled for her to join him as he began to remove his pelts slowly. She stood watching him, feeling the heat build in her veins. She definitely didn't want to run anymore, but now she wanted something else. Kouga caught her eying him hungrily and smirked. Sayomi couldn't take it anymore. She tackled him and pinned him to the bed, kissing him passionately as she struggled to be free of her own pelts. As Sayomi's scent hit Kouga, he stopped fighting and let himself have her.


	16. Epilogue

A/N: Alright

A/N: So this is it, the epilogue. Kind of makes me want to cry, we've come this far together. I encourage you all to add me to your favorite authors list, because I fully intend to write a sequel to Wolf Cry. Suggestions for the plot of the sequel are highly appreciated.

Sayomi's life eased into bliss. The first night that Kouga and she were together was wonderful, and so were all the nights that followed. She was happy beyond her wildest dreams. She loved Kouga with all her heart.

A month had passed since their mating, and everything was going smoothly up until that point. But lately, things seemed a little off to Sayomi. She began to get moody, being happy one moment, and pissed as hell the next. Her pack mates steered clear of her most of the time, not wanting to upset her. And to top it all off, it seemed that everybody knew something that she did not. It was so irritating!

Every time she turned around someone was watching her. If she stumbled or fell, she suddenly found herself surrounded by concerned comrades. It's not like she was a piece of glass that was going to shatter! She was a fierce warrior for crying out loud!

And sometimes she would catch Kouga staring at her, a foolish grin on his face. When she questioned him about it, he said it was nothing, that he just had a funny thought. He was having a lot of funny thoughts lately.

Kouga was also very careful around her. He hardly touched her, and if he did, it was always cautious. She longed for the passion that had consumed their lives in the days after their mating. She knew that she had gained a few pounds, that her stomach had gotten bigger, and wondered if that was why Kouga distanced himself from her. She couldn't understand her sudden weight gain at all. She was constantly running or swimming, doing something. Yes, she felt hungrier these days, and Kouga was constantly pushing food on her, but she didn't understand that either. If he thought she was getting fat, why was he pushing her to eat? She was so frustrated and confused about everything.

She lay now on her and Kouga's bed pondering the current situation. 'I hate not knowing what's going on; why is everybody is acting so odd around me?' she thought with a mental sigh. 'Well, that's it. I'm going to figure this out if it kills me!'

She sat up and listened carefully. The hunting party was returning. "Perfect," she murmured to herself.

With that she stood and strode out to the front of the cave as the hunting party was entering. Kouga was leading them inside, and she sought him out. Stopping a few feet away from him, she made to pounce on him, but he saw her movement out of the corner of his eye and was by her side in an instant, restraining her.

"Sayomi, you have to be careful. Rough play like that is dangerous!" Kouga told her seriously as he released her.

Sayomi glared at him. "You never thought that before!" Her words were accusing.

Kouga sighed. "That was before--" He cut himself off immediately. "Uh, yeah Ginta, I'll be right there," he faked and slipped around Sayomi and away.

Sayomi fumed. 'It really must be because I'm getting fat! I haven't gained that much weight! What, does he think I'm going to _squish_ him or something?!'

She wanted to cry, but she wouldn't let him have the satisfaction of seeing her tears.

The pack was waiting for her to join them so that they could eat. Being the alpha female, she got second pick when it came to food, and they couldn't eat before her. She stomped sulkily over to where they waited, and tore off a tiny piece of the boar and ate it, signaling that she was finished and that they could eat. The pack dug in and Kouga stared at her.

"Sayomi, you have to eat! That wasn't nearly enough. Here, eat this," he told her, voice full of concern as he held out a leg from the boar for her.

She glared at him again. "I'm not hungry," she snapped.

Kouga pushed the meat at her again. "Sayomi, you have to eat. If you don't you'll starve the--" He shut up quickly, and kicked himself mentally for slipping up again. He took a deep breath, and began again. "Sayomi, you must eat."

"What? So I can get fatter?" she hissed. Kouga raised a questioning eyebrow at her, wondering if she had finally figured it out.

Sayomi threw up her hands. "Forget it, Kouga. I'm going for a run."

She turned and stomped out of the den, leaving a pack of shocked wolves behind her. Kouga was concerned over her seemingly low self-esteem, but thought it better to leave her alone so that she could cool off.

He sighed to himself, wishing that he could just tell her. She obviously didn't know yet. But if he told her now, she wouldn't believe him. The only reason he and the pack knew was because she was giving off _the scent_. She wouldn't know until it was time for her to know, that was how nature intended it. If she was told before she figured it out on her own, there was the possibility that she wouldn't accept it, or accept _them_ when the time came.

Sayomi slowed to a jog as she reached her meadow of lilies, and she looked around. Find a tall tree along the edge of the clearing, she jumped onto a low branch and, finding a comfortable spot, she sat down.

"Kouga is so insensitive!" she muttered to herself. "What's wrong with me? Doesn't he love me anymore?"

At the thought of Kouga no longer loving her, there was a sharp pain in her chest. She knew if that was the case her heart would be irreparably broken. A single tear slipped down her check, sparkling in the light of the setting sun.

Suddenly she was startled out of her thoughts by the sound of a heart beat. The sound was faint and she twisted this way and that trying to find the source, wondering if Kouga had come after her. Listening for a moment, she realized that the heartbeat was too fast to be Kouga's, which she knew so well.

"Whatever it is it must be some ways off to be this faint," she thought out loud to herself. She jumped down from her perch and started off at a light jog, trying to determine which way the heartbeat was coming from. But no matter where she went, or which way she moved, the heartbeat stayed the same rhythm, and it didn't grow or lessen in intensity.

She stopped running and closed her eyes, trying to focus her senses on the rhythm. She heard it more clearly now, and with a start, she realized it was coming from her. _From within her._ She shrieked at the discovery, trying to understand what was going on. Then every thing fell into place.

All the stares, the funny looks, the over cautiousness around her... They had known and she had not! And they hadn't told her!

Her blood boiled at being deceived for so long, and then, just as quickly, it cooled.

"I guess they were right to not have told me," she said to herself. "If they had, would I have believed them? I couldn't even discern it for myself until now. If I hadn't been able to hear the heartbeat, I would have told them they were crazy."

She rubbed her belly affectionately, suddenly understanding, an immense love filling her heart and soul as tears of happiness streaked down her face.

"I can't believe it...," she cried, smiling. "I'm pregnant!"

Ah! Cliffhanger! You know what that means, right? You'll just have to add me to your favorite author list and watch for the next story in the series! Because I have decided that it _will_ be a series. And I've already started writing the first chapter of the next story, so definitely keep watch for it!

I want to thank Moonwolf27, Lady Rini, Night Neko-Jin, tsukiko008, Daeth101-Fox version, animemaster62, allmightychloe, naeko101, hollow kenpachi 13, Mistress Persephone, Ookami Kiba, sais sera, watergoddesskasey, adeaneri, bRoKeN aNd UnLoVeD oNe, Shio1, Sakura Lisel, and nozome for being the best fans and reviewers in the world.

I would also like to profusely thank KeikoHayasaka. You better keep watch for my next story and keep me motivated! Or the tables will turn and I'll be the one threatening you! Hahaha. Seriously though, you're amazing, and I'd like to keep you around. Love you!


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